A mixture of mechanisation and high-density planting system (HDPS) is the best way ahead for Indian cotton, which is witnessing both stagnation or decline in yields.
The Central Institute of Cotton Analysis (CICR), the premier cotton analysis company that works beneath the ICAR, is creating scalable fashions tailor-made to the wants of various soil sorts within the nation.
“The price of labour could be very excessive in cotton. The supply of labour could be very scarce. We have to go for mechanised harvesting to handle the problem,” YG Prasad, Director of ICAR-CICR, informed businessline.
Prasad was within the metropolis to attend the Worldwide Convention on Vegetable Oils 2023 final week.
“Although machines can be found, there are specific points that we have to deal with. The proportion of impurities are about 7-8 per cent in machine harvested cotton, which could be very excessive, towards 1-2 per cent in handbook harvesting,” he mentioned.
“It ought to be no more than 3 per cent to be able to shield profitability of farmers,” he mentioned.
Excessive-density planting
On the scope of HDPS, which is being experimented in States like Telangana, Prasad mentioned it’s the manner ahead for the cotton in shallow areas that account for about 4 million hectares within the nation.
“Productiveness is declining in these areas. We have to go there with focused agro-ecology mannequin with an purpose to extend the yields,” he mentioned.
When requested concerning the availability of sorts that provide uniform top (to make it simpler for mechanised harvesting), the CICR Director mentioned that standardised canopic administration protocols are prepared. “There are a number of set practices that regulate the peak of the plant,” he mentioned.
Prasad additionally known as for tailored approaches to develop cotton in numerous soil sorts. “What is going on is a genotype with excessive productiveness however a really lengthy period is being pushed into areas that don’t help such sort of size (of the crop). We’re losing vitamins and water in such instances,” he identified.
He prompt totally different approaches for medium, deep soils and irrigated areas to be able to maximise advantages and cut back value of manufacturing.
The CICR is engaged on scalable expertise fashions to extend productiveness in cotton, which has turn out to be a explanation for concern among the many farmers and different stakeholders.
