Various trade bodies are working collectively to increase area under cotton cultivation and improve yields.
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the Cotton Association of India (CAI) have joined hands to educate farmers to increase cultivation across the country and also raise yields.
Atul Ganatra, President, CAI said that the Centre has allocated Rs. 440 crore towards “Cotton Quality Improvement Mission” to improve quality and yields. Although India has the highest area under cotton, the yield is amongst the lowest in the world.
The ‘Cotton Mission’ is currently under discussion and meetings have been held by the stakeholders with the Textile Committee of India.
The Textile Committee’s office has asked for a list of cotton ginners across the country so that they can become a part of the project.
The minimum support price of cotton in the outgoing season was Rs. 5,825 per quintal. During the cotton season of 2020-21, CCI had procured 92 lakh bales under MSP operations and nearly 1 crore bales in the season of 2019-20.
Arvind Pant, Gujarat Cotton Association, said that the area under cotton in Gujarat is likely to go up by 10-12 per cent despite oilseeds commanding high price. Government procurement plays a big role in ensuring farmers stick to cotton.
Pradeep Jain, President, Khandesh Cotton Ginners/Pressers Association said that ginners in Maharashtra have been working on improving cotton yields for last 8-10 years and a booklet of best practices has also been distributed to farmers through the ‘Ginner at Your Doorstep’ initiative. As per him, the response has not been very positive.
It is worth mentioning here that price is the biggest deciding factor for the farmer who would look for better returns.
