North Indian cotton farmers greet early rains

Recent rain showers may turn into blessing for farmers cultivating cotton in the north Indian States of Punjab and Haryana, especially in areas with inadequate canal irrigation.

Cotton sowing has already started a week earlier in both the States and a 10 to 15 per cent increase in acreage is estimated over 2010-11.

Farmers in this region now perceive cotton to be more lucrative than other crops like grains, since cotton prices had more than doubled in the last few months.