Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

They swear by hybrid cotton

M. Soundariya Preetha

WHITE GOLD: Farmers plucking cotton at a farm in Vazhukkuparai in Coimbatore District, where Mahyco's Extra Long Staple Bt hybrid cotton has been raised. — Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

COIMBATORE: The lustre on the white blooms and smiling faces welcome us at Ganesan's farm at Vazhukkuparai, about 20 km south of Coimbatore. Five cotton farmers in this village have this year sown MRC 6918 Bt — Mahyco's (Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Limited) Extra Long Staple (ELS) Bt hybrid cotton. Subbulakshmi of Thoppampalayam village, four km from Vazhukuparai, raised regular hybrid cotton on two acres last year. She spent nearly Rs. 16,000. But the realisation was just about Rs. 17,000 (10 quintals).

Though reluctant to go in for cotton again this year, she decided to try the new ELS Bt hybrid on just 1.5 acres and now plans to bring more area under cotton next year. Though buyers who come to the farm quote Rs. 36 to Rs. 37 a kg, she expects Rs. 40 to Rs. 45 a kg.

What makes Ganesan, Subbulakshmi and those in the neighbouring farms happy is the quality of the cotton and the prices. They expect a yield of about 10 quintals an acre. Further, they do not have to spend more on pesticides (while Ganesan has applied pesticides five times, Subbulakshmi has done it just twice for sucking pest). Normally, cotton farmers go in for 12 to 15 sprays of pesticides.

Mahyco has 1,500 acres under this hybrid in Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore, Dharmapuri and Thirupattur) this year and hopes to increase it to at least 10,000 acres next year. The plucking starts from 110th day for the 180-day crop. The fibre qualities are "very good for Indian spinning requirements", says A. Ramani, the Joint Secretary of South India Cotton Association.

With the Association trying to promote indigenous production of the ELS variety, this offers hope, points out K.N. Viswanathan, Secretary of the Association.

A team of cotton traders and mill representatives visited the farm on Friday in a programme organised by the SICA and the Mahyco.

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