The Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has asked farmers to sow cotton during Masipattam (February-March), as the price of Masipattam- sown cotton that will be harvested during June-September is expected to be around Rs. 4,300 and Rs. 4,600.
According to a release, the Bt cotton (long staple) varieties that were sown during August-September 2011 and arriving in the market now were expected to fetch a price between Rs. 3,900 and Rs. 4,200 a quintal for the next three months.
If China stopped buying Indian cotton, price would decline and there was very less chance for it to increase.
Hence, farmers were advised to sell cotton immediately.
The forecast has been made based on the price that prevailed in the last 15 years at the Avanashi and Konganapuram Co-operative Marketing Society.
Special season
Masipattam was a special season for cotton in Tamil Nadu and the ‘Surabhi' variety was cultivated mostly during this season. In 2011-12 the area under cotton in Tamil Nadu was 1.22 lakh hectares.
