Cotton Sector
in India
Prelims:
Agriculture,
Indian Economy
Mains:
GS Paper II- Government Policies and
Interventions, GS Paper III- Agriculture, Indian Economy and Inclusive Growth
Current
relevance:
The Government of India has highlighted recent initiatives to strengthen
the cotton sector through the Mission for Cotton Productivity, MSP
operations, digital procurement, and Kasturi Cotton Bharat, while outlining
India's position in the global cotton economy.
Highlights:
1.
India is the only
country cultivating all four recognised cotton species and ranks first
globally in cotton acreage and second in production and consumption.
2.
Cotton is one of
India's most important commercial crops and is popularly known as "White
Gold" due to its significant contribution to agriculture, textiles,
exports, and rural livelihoods.
3.
It supports around 6
million cotton farmers and provides employment to 40–50 million people
in allied activities.
4.
Bt Cotton:
i.
It is a genetically
modified cotton variety containing genes from Bacillus thuringiensis
that provide resistance against bollworms.
ii.
Commercially
introduced in 2002, it helped improve yields while reducing
insecticide use and pest-control costs.
5.
Cotton is used for
textiles, edible cottonseed oil, animal feed, biomass fuel, and absorbent
surgical cotton, making it valuable beyond the textile industry.
6.
Government Initiatives:
i.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) Operations
MSP ensures remunerative prices to
cotton farmers during market downturns, with procurement undertaken by the Cotton
Corporation of India (CCI).
ii.
Mission for Cotton Productivity
Launched in 2025–26, the
five-year mission focuses on developing climate-resilient, pest-resistant,
and high-yielding cotton varieties, with a target of increasing production
to 498 lakh bales by 2031.
iii.
Special Project on Cotton (NFSM)
Implemented under the National Food Security
Mission (NFSM) to improve productivity through High-Density Planting
System (HDPS), Closer Spacing Planting System, and Extra Long Staple (ELS)
cotton technologies.
iv.
Kapas Kisan App
A digital platform enabling farmer self-registration,
procurement slot booking, Aadhaar-linked payments, and real-time updates,
making MSP procurement transparent and paperless.
v.
Kasturi Cotton Bharat
A branding and traceability
initiative that promotes certification, QR-based traceability, blockchain
technology, and quality assurance to enhance the global positioning of
Indian cotton.
Source: PIB - https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2286497®=48&lang=1