Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University conducted an analysis in Konganapuram Cooperative Marketing Society and also with cotton traders, to educate the farmers about the selling and sowing decision.

It revealed that farmers in Tamil Nadu have a stock of 0.25 lakh bales of 170 kgs each of cotton, since February, expecting higher prices, if export demand picked up.

As the prices are likely to move up to Rs.5,400 to Rs.5,600 per quintal as against the ruling price of Rs.4,900-Rs 5,200 for long staple cotton. The Centre has recommended the farmers in Tamil Nadu to sell their cotton stocks in August-October.

Based on the analysis, the major sowing season of cotton in Tamil 0Nadu is January-February and August. The projected area of cotton was 1.17 lakh hectares, which was 8.5 percent lesser than previous year and the production was five lakh bales, six percent lesser than the last year.

The prices of cotton sown in August are likely to be around Rs.5,250 to Rs.5,450 during harvest period of January-February and sowing can be taken up based on the prices.