The Price Forecasting Scheme of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has said that good quality extra-long staple cotton is likely to earn around Rs. 6,000 to 6,200 per quintal in December, and has advised farmers to take sowing decisions accordingly.

The forecasts were made based on the cotton prices that prevailed in Konganapuram Regulated market for the last 10 years.

In Tamil Nadu, cotton was grown in an area of 0.1 million hectares, with production of 0.53 million bales (170 kg a bale) during 2014-15. The major cotton-producing districts in the state are Perambalur, Salem, Trichy, Dharmapuri, Ariyalur, and Cuddalore.

According to the analysis, the land under cotton cultivation in India could decline up to 35 percent as the farmers have shifted to crops like groundnut, pulses, paddy, and sugarcane.