Why average yield of cotton of Indian farmer is half of the average global yield?
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The average yield of cotton of Indian farmers is lower than the global average. In 2022, the average yield of cotton in India was 510 kilograms per hectare (ha), while the global average was 900 kg/ha. This means that Indian farmers are producing about half as much cotton per hectare as farmers in other parts of the world.
There are a number of factors that contribute to the low yield of cotton in India. These include:
- Inadequate irrigation: A large percentage of cotton in India is grown on rain-fed land, which means that farmers are at the mercy of the weather. When there is not enough rain, yields can suffer.
- Pests and diseases: Cotton is a susceptible crop to pests and diseases, which can also reduce yields.
- Poor farming practices: Some Indian farmers use outdated farming practices, such as manual weeding, which can lead to lower yields.
- Lack of access to inputs: Some Indian farmers do not have access to the inputs they need to produce a good yield, such as good quality seed, fertilizer, and pesticides.
The Indian government is working to address these challenges by investing in irrigation, providing farmers with access to better farming practices and inputs, and promoting the use of Bt cotton, which is a genetically modified crop that is resistant to pests. These efforts have helped to increase yields in recent years, but there is still room for improvement.
If India can continue to improve the yield of cotton, it could become a major exporter of cotton. India is already the world's largest producer of cotton, and it has the potential to become a major player in the global cotton market.