Madhya Pradesh: Cotton Harvest Under Threat Due To Rains

Manawar (Madhya Pradesh): Cotton crop in Manawar region has been damaged due to recent heavy rains, especially on July 6, which led to flooding of cotton fields.

Farmers said that leaves are turning yellow and falling off.

Cotton is the main cash crop in Manawar, known for its bumper yields. Thankfully, crops in high-altitude areas remain in better condition, raising hopes for a good harvest.

Farmer Raju Devda expressed concern, stating that continuous rain over the past week has caused the plants to turn black. Another farmer, Devram Mukati, highlighted the high costs of weeding and pesticides, making the impact of the rain particularly worrying.

Agriculture Department SDO Mahesh Burman advised farmers to drain water from flooded fields. He also recommended spraying fungicide if any signs of rotting appear in the plants to help strengthen their roots.

Water level rises in Jirabad dam

On a positive note, the rain has benefited the Jirabad Dam, the district's largest irrigation project. Project's SDO Isaram Kannauje reported that the dam's water level has reached 286 meters, with only 11.30 meters of capacity left.

In the last two days, the water level has increased by half a meter. Additionally, the rain has raised water levels in rivers, drains, wells and borings, providing farmers with better irrigation options in the coming days.

So far, Manawar has recorded 201 mm of rain, significantly higher than last year's 119 mm. The agriculture department predicts that the monsoon will remain active from July 11 to 15, making sunlight crucial for crops like cotton, maize, soybean and moong. If the weather clears, crop conditions may improve, said officials.

Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025, 10:28 PM IST