Wardha District Grapples with Severe Cotton Production and Arrival Crisis
The cotton sector in Wardha district is facing a profound crisis this season, with market arrivals experiencing a dramatic and sharp decline. This downturn is directly attributed to a significant drop in overall production, creating severe challenges for local farmers and severely disrupting the cotton processing industry across the region.
Staggering Drop in Market Arrivals
Official data reveals a stark contrast between the previous and current agricultural cycles. During the 2024-25 season, Wardha district recorded robust cotton arrivals of approximately 1.11 lakh quintals. However, the ongoing 2025-26 season paints a bleak picture, with arrivals so far limited to a mere 45,000 quintals. This represents a precipitous drop of nearly 60 percent, highlighting the scale of the agricultural distress.
Price Dynamics and Procurement Challenges
The current pricing environment adds another layer of complexity for cultivators. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) rate is set at ₹8,010 per quintal, while private purchase centres are offering slightly lower prices, around ₹7,900 per quintal. Farmers are encountering additional hurdles as new registrations with the CCI have been halted, although existing CCI procurement operations are expected to continue until February 28.
Root Causes: Seed Quality and Climate Woes
Farmers on the ground point to multiple, interconnected factors behind the production collapse. Vilash Chandankhede, a farmer from Goji village, identified the widespread availability of poor-quality and adulterated seeds as a primary culprit. "Adulterated seeds are widely available in the market, which led to farmers not achieving their expected yield," he stated, noting that many farmers sourced seeds from Andhra Pradesh.
Chandankhede further explained that excessive and unseasonal rainfall during the critical growing period caused extensive damage. "The continuous rains damaged the crop, with cotton bolls failing to flower properly. The cotton currently arriving in the market is from light picking, resulting in lower weight per quintal," he added. This, combined with soaring input costs and the failure to achieve the hoped-for rate of ₹10,000 per quintal, has plunged many farmers into serious financial distress.
Market Hesitation and Storage Strategies
Sameer Pedke, Secretary of the Wardha Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), confirmed that while cotton production exists in the district, volatile market prices are deterring farmers from bringing their harvest to market. "Price fluctuations have discouraged farmers. We estimate that about 25 percent of farmers who possess storage facilities have opted to store their cotton at home instead of selling immediately," Pedke reported, indicating a wait-and-see approach amid uncertain economics.
Impact on the Processing Industry
The crisis extends beyond the fields, severely affecting downstream industries. Piyush Thakkar, a ginning mill owner from Waigaon, provided insight into the agronomic challenges. He noted that while cotton is not a water-intensive crop, the timing of rainfall is critical. "Continuous rainfall lasting until September and October caused major damage to the first crop, disrupting the entire harvest cycle and reducing the quality and quantity of raw material available for processing," Thakkar explained. This shortage directly impacts the operational viability of ginning and processing units dependent on steady cotton inflow.
The situation in Wardha underscores a critical juncture for the regional cotton economy, demanding attention to seed quality control, climate-resilient farming practices, and stable market mechanisms to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and the health of ancillary industries.
