Will boost cotton yield to compete globally: Minister

The Ministry of Textiles and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) on Tuesday marked World Cotton Day-2025, focusing on the theme “Cotton 2040: Technology, Climate & Competitiveness". Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh and Union Minister of State Pabitra Margherita led the event, announcing plans to boost India’s cotton yield from 450 kg per hectare to compete with global leaders like Australia at 2,000 kg per hectare.

Singh highlighted cotton’s role in supporting six million farmers and 45 million jobs across India’s textile sector, which aims for $350 billion by 2030, including $100 billion in exports. He stressed sustainable practices like efficient water use and renewable energy to protect rain-fed cotton regions while targeting carbon neutrality by 2030. The Mission for Cotton Productivity will address low yields through advanced farming techniques.

The minister promoted Kasturi Cotton Bharat as a global brand for quality and sustainability, urging stakeholders — farmers, ginners, spinners, and exporters — to collaborate. Margherita emphasised India’s goal to lead in ethical production, noting Kasturi Cotton’s alignment with the “5F” (farm-fibre-factory-fashion-foreign) vision and potential textile partnerships with Russia.

Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao called for technology-driven transformation, including precision farming and digital traceability, to enhance productivity. She encouraged adopting the high-density planting system to increase yields. Joint Secretary Padmini Singla outlined inter-ministerial efforts to improve farmer incomes through better production and global trade compliance via traceability and quality certifications.

The event featured memoranda of understanding signed under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative with organisations like Nitin Spinners, Arvind Ltd, and ICAR-CIRCOT to strengthen the brand. Lalit Kumar Gupta of the CCI discussed digital initiatives for farmers, while CITI chairman Ashwin Chandran and TEXPROCIL vice-chairman Ravi Sam underscored the textile industry’s role in economic growth.