Mission for Cotton Productivity
What’s in the news?
- The Union Cabinet has approved Rs.5659 crore for the Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026–27 to 2030–31) to address bottlenecks, declining growth, and quality concerns in India’s cotton sector.
Cotton Cultivation in India:
- Cotton cultivation in India dates back several millennia. Archaeological evidence suggests that cotton was grown in the Indus Valley Civilization as early as 2500 BCE.
- Cotton is primarily grown in the tropical and subtropical regions of India, with the majority of production concentrated in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
- It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days, well-drained soil and bright sunshine for its growth.
Current Status:
- India is the only country that grows all four species of cotton: G. Arboreum and G. Herbaceum (Asian cotton), G. Barbadense (Egyptian cotton) and G. Hirsutum (American Upland cotton).
- Although India is a leading producer and exporter of cotton, some quantity i.e. less than 5% of the total consumption of cotton in India is imported by the textile industry to meet their specific requirement.
- Once hailed as “white gold,” cotton is facing several challenges, including pests, diseases, weather uncertainties, and fluctuating market prices.
- While India accounts for 40% of the world’s cotton area, productivity remains around 440 kg per hectare, much lower than 2,000 kgs per hectare in many other countries.
About the Mission
- The mission is aligned with the government’s “5F” vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign—and seeks to strengthen the entire cotton value chain, from production to exports.
Did you know?
- The Indian cotton industry provides livelihood to about 60 million people in the country.
- Under the programme, the focus will be on developing high-yielding, climate-resilient and pest-resistant seed varieties, alongside the promotion of modern crop production techniques.
- These include High Density Planting System (HDPS), closer spacing, integrated cotton management practices and promotion of Extra Long Staple (ELS) Cotton.
- To ensure reliable quality assessment, the mission will strengthen cotton testing infrastructure across the country with standardised and accredited facilities.
- In addition, branding and traceability initiatives under Kasturi Cotton Bharat will be scaled up to position Indian cotton as a premium and globally trusted product.
Kasturi Cotton Bharat:
- Kasturi Cotton Bharat programme is a certification and branding initiative of the Ministry of Textiles to establish a globally recognized brand for high-quality, sustainable cotton.
- Kasturi Cotton Bharat focuses on three pillars: Traceability (using blockchain), Certification, and Branding to enhance the value of Indian cotton.
- Digital integration of agricultural markets is another key component, aimed at enabling transparent price discovery and better returns for farmers through e-platforms.
- The mission will also promote recycling of cotton waste and encourage circular economy (an economic model designed to minimize waste and maximize the efficient use of resources) practices within the textile sector.
- The mission targets an increase in cotton production to 498 lakh bales by 2030–31, with lint productivity expected to rise from 440 kg per hectare to 755 kg per hectare.
Implementation
- The programme will be jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Textiles, with support from institutions including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
- It will initially cover 140 districts across 14 major cotton-growing states.