PUNE, India, July 15 (Reuters) - Revival of monsoon rains in India's western state of Maharashtra is likely to push up cotton acreage to last year's levels, a senior state government official said on Wednesday 15 July.

"Sowing of cotton had fallen last month due to scanty rainfall. But now the state is receiving good rains, which will certainly be of help to cotton cultivation," Purushottam Raut, director at state's agriculture department told Reuters.

Maharashtra, the second largest cotton producer after Gujarat, has the largest area under the fibre crop.

Raut expects sowing of cotton to be completed in remaining parts of the state by July 20.

Area under cotton cultivation may touch 3 million to 3.13 million hectares in the year to September 2010. The total acreage last year is estimated at 3.13 million hectare, he added.

"Sowing would pick up in next 2-3 days," Raut said.

As on July 13, cotton acreage stood at 2.21 million hectares or 76 percent to normal area, agriculture department data showed.

Sowing was completed on 1.7 million hectares or 59 percent of normal area by this time last year, according to data.

Estimates released by the state agriculture department in March had forecast a marginal increase in cotton acreage to 3.20-3.25 million hectares on year, assuming timely rainfall.

"In terms of production, recent rains will boost the crop but it is too early to estimate the output, "Raut said.

Productivity does not dip in case of a sowing delay till July 15, but per hectare yield will largely depend upon distribution of rainfall, apart from infestation of pests and diseases, Raut said. (Reporting by Ramesh Jadhav; Editing by Harish Nambiar)