India: Farmers abandon crops in Haryana's cotton belt due to losses

(MENAFN- KNN India) Haryana, June 1 (KNN) In a significant shift, many farmers in Haryana's cotton belt, comprising the districts of Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad, are moving away from cotton cultivation. This year, cotton was sown on 11 lakh acres, a sharp decline from last year's 16 lakh acres. Farmers cite the pink bollworm infestation as a primary reason for abandoning the crop. For the past three years, they have faced losses due to pink bollworm, whitefly infestations, and adverse weather conditions. “Last year, we struggled to get compensation for crop damage as insurance firms refused to provide service in cluster 2, which includes Hisar. This year, there's still no confirmation from the state government about cotton insurance,” said Rajiv Malik, a farm activist, reported Tribune. According to the Agriculture Department, the area under cotton has decreased by 30% across the state this kharif season. Experts are concerned that many farmers might switch to water-intensive ...