Cotton sowing has picked up pace with the monsoon gathering momentum across key producing States. The total acreage has crossed 100 lakh hectares (lh) with Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra registering an increase in area compared to last year.The delayed onset and progress of monsoon have pushed back the sowing window by a couple of weeks this year. Stakeholders said the crop condition has been good and expect the area to surpass last year’s levels.Atul Ganatra, Chairman, Crop Committee at the apex trade body Cotton Association of India (CAI), said the sowing has been completed on over 100 lh against 103 lh a year ago.“Though rains were late by about 20-30 days, cotton sowing has picked up fast and we have almost reached near to last year'’ figures. The rain over the last six days will now give opportunity to the farmers to sow in states that had received less rains,” he said.Extended windonFurther, Ganatra said due to the delayed rains, the sowing window for cotton has now been extended till August 25. “We feel the government’s target of over 120 lakh hectares of cotton sowing is very much possible by August 20,” he said.Cotton sowing is taking place in about 50,000 hectares every day, Ganatra said, adding that in Andhra the area has increased by 31 per cent and by 4 per cent in Telangana.Also in Gujarat, with the recent rains, coupled with the subsidy announced by the state government, the cotton acreage is likely to increase by 7-10 per cent this year in the state, Ganatra said. Gujarat has announced a subsidy of Rs 14,000 per acre to farmers this season, he said.The acreage in Gujarat till July 27 was 20 lh, marginally lower than c 20.16 lh a year ago. In Maharashtra, the cotton area was 35.76 lh (37.89 lh in corresponding last year), while in Telangana it was up 4 per cent at 17.64 lh (17 lh). Madhya Pradesh has also seen an increase in area t 5.79 lh (5.52 lh).Healthy cropFurther, Ganatra said the crop condition was excellent as on date and the market arrivals of the early planted cotton in some 15 lh, mainly in North India and in some southern states may start from the first week of September.Ramanuj Das Boob, a sourcing agent in Raichur said the sowing is complete in Telangana with good rain, and the crop condition is good. Also, in Raichur, Karnataka and Adoni in Andhra, the crop looks better with recent rain.“Overall, the crop condition looks satisfactory, but there’s a need for further big showers to improve the growth of the plant. Due to delay rains the height of the plant may have little effect for the dryland area. However, the acreage sown is more than last year around 10 per cent. This may compensate at the later stage” he said.In the Khandesh region of Maharashtra, the crop condition looks good. “Though there is deficit rain, the crop condition looks healthy as of now. In the irrigated areas, the crop is good,” said Pradeep Jain, Chairman, Khandesh Gin Press Association in Jalgaon.Further, Jain said that the area may be lower by 5-10 per cent this year in the region as a section of farmers have switched over to maize.Published on July 28, 2026