Abstract

                                In 1996-97 the maximum area of 9.16 million hectare was achieved leading to a production of 17.5 million bales. Over the last 40 years this was the record production. In spite of achieving the maximum production in 1996-97 the area and production came down to 8.7 million hectares and 16.8 million bales respectively during 1999-2000. To know the reason for this decline trend in cotton cultivation in Tamil Nadu the present study was proposed and conducted at Salem District of Tamil Nadu. By employing snowball sampling technique 144 farmers were selected in this study. The well structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used for collecting the relevant data. By adopting percentage analysis, suitable inferences was made from the collected results. It was found that the majority of the respondents (64 %) reduced their acreage under cotton from their potential cotton area and one fourth of the respondents had reduced their - area under cotton to the extent of 26-50 per cent of their total potential cotton area. Among the reasons for the decline, more pests and diseases, high cost of cultivation, income not to commensurate with cost of production, reduction in yield year after year and no remunerative prices were the most important reasons for decline of cotton cultivation as expressed and ranked I to V by the majority of the respondents. It is suggested that the policy maker, chief executives and field level workers may take this research findings in positive way and work to restore the situation as soon as possible to enrich our farming community wealth and health by producing quality kapas.

Key words : Performance of Cotton, Extent of Decline of Cotton, Research for Decline of cotton