Trends in production of cotton in Haryana (1966–2012)

In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the trends in production of cotton in Haryana from 1966–67 to 2011–2012. The area under cotton in Haryana has increased significantly over the period of time from 1966 to 2012. The increase or decrease in the production of cotton is a function of change in the acreage and yield of cotton. It also emphasis on the spatial pattern of cotton yields in the state. Haryana is one of the leading states in terms of cotton production. The wide diversity of soil topography, temperature and precipitation found in Haryana permits growing of a wide range of crops. They includes cotton, rice, bajra, guar, and some fodder crops in kharif season, The state is producing medium analytic of cotton, rice and other crops. New Bt cotton and some new variety of rice, holds great potential for increasing the production. In order to examine the trends in production of cotton in the state, the triennium averages have been computed for the periods 1966–69, 1982–85 and 2009–12. Haryana has recorded almost many fold increase in the cotton production as per the data available it has increased from 50 thousand tonnes to 2050 thousand tonnes during the study period. In fact, over the period 1966–67 to 1982–85 alone, the cotton production has increased by more than 10 times.