Shifts in cropping pattern were analyzed with reference to cotton in major cotton growing districts of Maharashtra with the help of Markov chain analysis. The analysis revealed that in 14 among the 19 cotton growing districts, cotton area increased during the study period (2000-01 to 2017-18) while 5 districts experienced decrease in cotton area. Cotton crop was found to have high retention capacity in almost all the districts with a probability ranging from 0.53 to 0.98 among the cotton growing districts. The main crops that lost their area to cotton were pigeon pea, maize, black gram, soybean and other kharif pulses. Castor, small millets, groundnut and sunflower also lost their area to cotton. Crops like soybean, maize, pigeon pea, black gram and green gram also got area from cotton in some districts but the probability was very less. Stable and good prices, stable yield and easy to market are the reasons for preferring cotton over other crops. High cost of cultivation and non availability of labour are the major reasons for not preferring cotton crop.

Highlights

• Cotton area increased in 14 district and decreased in 5 districts during the study period (2000-01 to 2017-18).
• Cotton crop was found to have high retention capacity.
• Pigeon pea, maize, black gram, soybean and other kharif pulses lost their area to cotton.
• Stable prices and yield as well as easy to market are the reasons for preferring cotton over other crops.