Cotton acreage 9.09 mln ha, up 23% on year as of 14 July.

Farmers in the country planted kharif cotton crop across 9.09 mln ha as of 14 July, up 22.9% on year. The acreage is also marginally higher than the normal of 8.15 mln ha for the corresponding period, based on the average of last five years. The acreage is higher than last year due to shift from soybean to cotton as it offers lucrative prices. Near-normal monsoon rains have also aided sowing of cotton across the country.