The agrarian crisis in cotton-growing belt of Vidarbha is going to get worse as production has fallen by 50%. “The cotton crop yield this year is 45 lakh bales. Last year, it was 85 lakh bales,” said Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, minister for agriculture. “The primary reason for the shortfall in the cotton production is delayed rains. The intermittent showers which were unseasonal further aggravated the situation as it damaged the crop. In addition, the BT cotton cultivation is not working in Vidarbha region. It is causing more distress to the farmers.”