Cotton stats
Malwa: This is Punjab's cotton country. Yields here were some of the highest in India till 1992-93, when the region reported its first major infestatin of the American bollworm. Punjab accounted for about 25 per cent of India's total cotton production in 1990 at 2.45 million bales (1 bale equals 170 kg). By 1998-99 this was down to 500,000 bales. Rose thereafter to 1.1 million bales in 2003-04 and 1.6 million bales in 2004-05. This year, 2.2 million bales are expected
Acreage: Total area sown fell shrply from a high of 701,000 hectare (ha) in 1991-92 to 450,000 ha in 2002-03. Cropped area rose to 509,000 ha in 2003-04. This year, the area has increased to 580,000 ha. Overall cotton area in India has come down by 37,000 ha this year
Bt coverage: Pegged this season at 200,000 ha, nearly 30 per cent of total area under cotton in the state. Up ten times from 20, 000 ha last year
Official drive: Area under legalised seeds varies between 20,000 ha to 60,000 ha, show various estimates
Not watered down: Total irrigated cotton area in Punjab is 99.23 per cent. For the rest of India, it is only 40 per cent
Varieties approved: RCH134 Bt, RCH317 Bt, Ankur 651 Bt, Ankur 2534 Bt, MRC 6301 Bt and MRC 6304 Bt
Minimum support: This year the minimum support price (MSP) offered was Rs 1,835. Most farmers lost out because the main MSP parameter, the required staple length, was increased by 5 millimetre from last year. For each mm below the required, the farmer's income decreases. And then came the late rains, pushing moisture contents beyond 8 per cent, which also affected procurement.