Cotton prices slide this year

September 13

 

THE prices of cotton this year touch a low of K900 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kg), whereas it fetched up to K1,500 per viss last year, the growers stressed.

 

“The cotton quality is poor for now. The harvest time has just started. The heavy rainfall resulted in yield drop this year. The cotton farming will not make loss for sure as it can be harvested until cold season and the quality will be improved later. The price is expected not to remain on a downward trend,” said U Pho Cho, a grower from Butar village in NyaungU Township.

 

This year, Sagaing Region Agriculture Department projected to cover 79,346 acres of cotton in the region and a total of 45,502 acres have been planted as of June, the department stated.

 

The input costs approxi mately K350,000 per acre, while an acre yields about 1,000 viss.

 

The cotton cultivation is commonly found as polyculture. As a result of this, the farming allows the growers to increase their incomes.

 

The cotton is successfully cultivated in 19 townships across Sagaing, Monywa, Yinmabin, Shwebo and Kanbalu districts of Sagaing Region.— Lu Lay/GNLM