Description

India ranks first in cotton area in the world and third in production. About 15 million farmers in the country spread across 10 states are engaged in cotton production. Cotton is grown in about 10 million hectares in India and is cultivated in three distinct agro-ecological regions viz., North, Central and South. Out of total, 21 per cent area is under cultivation in North zone which is 100 per cent irrigated and contributes 25 per cent of the production. About 80% of the total cotton area of the entire state of Rajasthan is being grown in Irrigated North Western Plain zone Ib. This zone covers Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan. This is a contiguous area of around 15 lakh ha and the wheat is cultivated in the almost entire area after cotton during the rabi season. Development of early-maturing cotton varieties made it possible to follow cotton-wheat cropping system in a year.