Important States

Indian cotton production zones The planting period of cotton normally is from March to September, while the harvesting period is from October to February. There are mainly three cotton-producing zones in India, such as: * Northern zone (Hirsutum and Arboreum Zones), comprising Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan * Central zone (Hirsutum, Arboreum, Herbaceum and Hybrid Zones), comprising Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat * Southern zone (Hirsutum, Arboreum, Herbaceum, Barbadense and Hybrid Zones) comprising Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. About 70% of total cotton are produced in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh . The northern region produces short and medium staple cotton, the southern region normally produces long staples cotton, while the central region produces long and medium staples. The peak marketing season for the crop is during November to March.

MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtra is one of the largest producer and produces about 25 to 30 % of the total cotton production of India Maharashtra is a traditional producer of cotton The lava soil of deccan plateau is world renowned for cotton production and is popularly known as the black cotton soil Over 80 per cent of the production comes from Khandesh, Vidarbha and Marathwada regions comprising the districts of Yavatmal, Nanded, Amravati, Parbhani, Wardha, Jalgaon, Akola, Buldhana, Nagpur, Dhule, etc About 96% of the cotton area is rainfed. The crop is grown in kharif season and sowing is generally done with the onset of monsoon. The crop is generally grown on black cotton soil characterized by the presence of titanium oxide. The yield of seed cotton is very poor. Most of the varieties/hybrids are medium to medium long fibre length.

Cotton crop is grown in the entire state except Konkan and Western parts of Maharashtra. The cotton growing area is divided into four major regions i.e. (i) Vidarbha region - 16 lakh ha. area under Vidarbha region (Yoetmal, Amravati, Akola, Buldana, Washim, Wardha and Nagpur),

(ii) Marathwada region - 10 lakh ha. inMarathwada region (Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Aurangabad and Jalna) (iii) Khandesh region - 5 lakh ha. (Jalgoan,Dhule and Nandurbar) (iv) Deccan Canal area 25,000 ha. (Ahmednagar & Satara) Vidharba region that contributes around 48% of total cotton area of the same has an average

GUJRAT
With black cotton soil 1.5 metre deep in some parts and with 80-100 cm annual rainfall Gujarat provides favorable conditions for cotton cultivation Two-thirds of the production comes from the Gujarat plains including Bharuch, Surendemagar, Vadodra and Ahmedabad districts. Mahesana, Kheda, Sabarkantha, Surat, Amreli and Panchmahals are other major producers Gujarat has 45% irrigated and 55% un-irrigated cotton. There are four different cotton zones a) South Gujarat cotton zone (Dangs, Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Barauch, Narmada) b) Middle Gujarat Cotton zone (Vadodara, Kheda, Ananad, Panchmahals and Sabarkantha) c) Wagad Cotton zone (Mehsana, Surendrabagar, Rajkot, Kutch, Jamnagar and Porbandar, Banaskantha) d) Mathio Cotton zone ( Bhavnagar & Amreli) .

In South & Middle Gujarat herbaceum cotton like V-797, G-COT-13 and G-COT-17 are making significant addition in cotton production having 24% of the state area. In Wagad zone also herbaceum cotton is extensively grown and contribute 10% of cotton area. Arboreum cotton is restricted to Mathiyo zone only. Area under cotton is about 65% in Wagad & Mathiyo zone ( Saurastra region) of the state.

MADHYA PRADESH
More than 80 per cent of the production comes from Malwa where there are vast tracts of lava soil. East Nimar, West Nimar, Ujjain, Shajapur, Dewas, Dhar, Ratlam, Rajgarh, Indore, and Bhopal are the main producers It is grownin about 13 districts of the state. Nimar valley of the state covered about 75% of total area under cotton. The Khargone (1.8 lakh ha) district is having the maximum area followed by Dhar (1 lakh ha). The productivity of Chindwara district is higher followed by Ratlam. More than 50% area is under irrigated conditions. Khargone is having highest irrigated cotton. LRA-5166, LRA-516, J.Tapti, Vikram, Anjali are the main varieties and about 1.0 lakh ha is covered under these varieties. Non Bt hybrids are cultivated in nearly 3.65 lakh ha and the hybrids are JKHy-2, H-4, H-6, DCH32 etc. Bt hybrids are in about 3.86 lakh ha mainly MECH-162, MECH-12, RCH-2,Bunny, MECH-184, RCH-1, Mallika, RCH-138 etc. contributing 61% of cotton area. Presently 42Bt hybrids of 14 seed companies are under cultivation in Madhya Pradesh MH Barwani, Khargone, Dhar, Khandwa, Harda, Chindwara Guj Jhabua, RJ Ratlam Middle MP Ujjain, dewas, Hoshangabad

RAJASTHAN
Ganganagar is the most important cotton producing district of Rajasthan and accounts for over 50 per cent of the states production This district is contiguous to the cotton producing areas of Punjab and Haryana and enjoys the same advantages. The remaining cotton of Rajasthan comes from Bhilwara, Ajmer, Chittaurgarh, Jhalawar, Pali and Hanumangarh. The major districts contributing more than 86 % state's cotton production areAlwar, Ganganagar, Hunumangarh, Jodhpur & Nagar. The Hanumangarh & Sriganganagar districts are contributing 80% of thecotton area & production of the State and in these two districts sowing take place in the month of April / May.

In southern Rajasthan (Banwara, Ajmeer, Pali, Nagaor, Bikaner, Bhilwara & Alwar) cotton is cultivated in Kharif season from the onset of monsoon during June / July over an average area of 60-70 thousand ha.

PUNJAB
Most of the cotton production comes from the Malwa region of the state. This region contributes nearly 95 per cent of Punjabs cotton

It has an advantage of fertile alluvial soils, a close network of irrigation facilities, heavy dose of fertilizers and pesticides use and above all the enterprising spirit of the farmers
Bhatinda, Faridkot, Firozepur and Sangrur are the major producing districts and account for over three fourths of Punjabs total production of cotton. Ludhiana, Muktsar, Moga, Mansa and Fatehgarh Sahib are other cotton producing districts Cotton is a major cash crop of south western district of Punjab such as Bhatinda,Faridkot, Firozpore, Mansa, Moga, Mukatsar and Sangrur. The main varieties grown in the state areDhawal-2. White Gold, F-1387, F-1861, LHH156, Ankur-2534. Ankur-651, RCH-134, RH-317,MRCH-6301, MRCH-6304, etc.

ANDHRA PRADESH
Two-thirds of the production of Andhra Pradesh comes from two districts, namely Guntur and Prakasam. Adilabad, Kumool and Anantapur contribute the rest In A.P. during Kharif, approximately 9.0 lakh ha of cotton crop is grown. Extensively in Guntur (1.39 ha) , Karimnagar ( 1.34 lakh ha), Khammam ( 0.95 lakh ha), Warangal( 1.47 lakh ha), Adilabad ( 1.55 lakh ha), and Nalgonda ( 0.83 lakh ha) districts. Among thevarious hybrids Bunny, Tulsi, Hima, Ganesh, RCH-2, Brahma, are leading one. Bt hybrids likeRCH-2 Bt, RCH-20 Bt, Bunny Bt are popular

HARYANA
About 80 per cent of the production comes from Hissar, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts which are contiguous to the major cotton producing districts of Punjab. Like Punjab, most of the production is from the American long staple varieties. Bhiwani, Jind and Rohtak and Ambala are other producing districts.

About 80% of the cotton is generally grown in south western part of the state, having sandy soils but in some extent it is also grown in middle part of the state.
This state has 19 districts, out of which cotton is mostly grown in the district of Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind.

KARNATAKA
The North Karnataka plateau is the main area of cotton cultivation. Dharwad, Raichur, Bellary and Gulbarga are the main producing districts. Cotton is cultivated in 21 districts of the states like of which major producingdistricts are Dharwad, Haveri, Mysore, Gadage, Bellary, Belgaum, Raichur, Bidar & Koppal. It iscultivated in three seasons i.e. Kharif, Rabi and Summer. Major varities are LRA 5166, AS 104,Sigma, Bt.-Mahyco, Bt.-Bunny, Vishwanath, Dhanu, JK 119, RCH 2, Tulsi, Sanju, Ankur,Brahma, DHH 11, DCH 32, Jayadhar, NHH 44, Varalakshmi and AK 235.

TAMIL NADU
Coimbatore, Salem, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Ramnathapuram, South Arcot, Vallalur, Chengalpattu and Tirunelveli K. Bomman are the main producing districts. There are four cottonseasons in Tamil Nadu i.e Winter Irrigated (Aug.-Sept), Rainfed (Sep-Oct.), Rice fallows (Jan-Feb.) and summer Irrigated (Feb. March). LRA 5166, MCU5, MCU7, MCU12, MCU5 VT., Suvin, SVPR 2, SVPR3, K11, K10, RCH.2 etc. are the varieties grown in Tamilnadu. Of these varieties, LRA 5166, MCU.5 occupies more than 60% of cotton area in the State.

ORISSA
Cotton is grown as a non-traditional crop in the western and southern parts of Orissa by & large under rain fed condition during kharif season
Bunny & Sri Tulsi are the leading hybrids in the state occupying nearly 45-50% cotton area. Other private hybrids namely Super Bunny, J.K.Durga also contributes sizable area. MCU-5 is also grown in Orissa