Cotton productivity in Maharashtra has improved.There has been a 50 to 70 per cent improvement in productivity in Jalgaon district. The yield has risen from 8 or 10 quintals to more than 15 quintals.

For the first time, Maharashtra overtook Gujarat in terms of cotton production with a record yield of some one crore bales. Usually Maharashtra produces 70 to 80 lakh bales.

While rain fed cotton seed varieties yield 8 to 10 quintals per hectare, irrigated cotton seed varieties yield around 35 to 40 quintals per hectare. The focus is on irrigated cotton seed varieties.

Farmers are being advised on seed quality, fertilisers, nutrients and pesticides.

Jalgaon region of Maharashtra has a high concentration of ginning units. Jalgaon has some 4.5 lakh hectares under cotton and around 1,50,000 farmers cultivate the crop.

Maharashtra processes about 80 lakh bales annually.

Jalgaon is rich in volcanic soil, which is well suited for cotton production.

If the farmers producer better quality and quantity of cotton, ginners stand to gain. Productivity of farmers in Maharashtra is as low as five quintals per acre or 12.5 quintals per hectare. This is extremely low compared to that of Gujarat, who get Rs 2,000 per candy more than farmers in Maharashtra.