Due to delay in monsoon the area under cotton cultivation in India is down by about 10% to 15% compared to last year, as per Textile Commissioner A B Joshi. This year the area under cotton is estimated to be lower than the previous year’s levels which stood at 12.20 million hectare.
Although the sowing of fibre crop has started but due to tepid rainfall in some areas the pace of sowing has been affected. Maharashtra and Rajasthan State are the prime ones which have been affected due to delay in rainfall.
India is the world's second-biggest producer of cotton. The cotton is sown around May and June and harvested around September to December in different parts of the country.