Hyderabad, July 3:

Andhra Pradesh, one of the leading cotton growing States in the country, is expected to grow the crop on 11.80 lakh hectares 2009-10 as against Rs 13.98 lakh ha last year.

Despite a likely shortfall of two lakh ha, the State hopes to register production to the tune of 35.40 lakh bales as against 34.62 lakh bales last year.

“We can produce more as the yields are going to be better at 510 kg/hectare. You compare this with 421 kg/ha in 2008-09,” a senior Angriculture Department official told Business Line.

“Last year’s area was all-time high in the State. It generally hovers around 11 lakh ha since 2001-02 when the production was just at 18.77 lakh bales. The kg/ha yield was just 286 then,” the official said.

Also read: Desi Bt cotton set to blossom in farms this year

Production levels fell significantly in 2003 and 2004 as area dropped to eight lakh ha.

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