The Union government recently approved a five-year Mission to increase cotton productivity at an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore. The textile industry, which is the main consumer of cotton, has welcomed the programme as it is expected to improve productivity and sustain cotton farming.

This decision by the Union Cabinet will provide a huge boost to the textile and apparel sector as it seeks to become more globally competitive and emerge stronger to leverage opportunities emerging from Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), said chairman of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry Ashwin Chandran.

The Mission will address the dichotomy in India’s cotton sector. Despite being one of the largest cotton growers worldwide, India’s cotton productivity lags, undermining the country’s ability to compete effectively on the export front. A delegation from the textile and apparel industry recently met Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan to flag the challenges faced in the cotton value chain and requested his intervention, said Mr. Chandran in a press release.

According to Durai Palanisamy, chairman of the Southern India Mills Association, the Technology Mission on Cotton launched in 1999 played a transformative role in increasing cotton production from around 178 lakh bales to nearly 398 lakh bales by 2013–14 and the area under cultivation from 92 lakh hectares to 128 lakh hectares, accounting for nearly 36% – 38% of global cotton acreage.

After the closure of TMC, cotton gradually lost policy focus, resulting in declining productivity and reduced production in recent years (currently 292 lakh bales).

The five-year Mission is expected to ensure availability of quality cotton to the textile industry. It will reduce dependence on imports of Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, in a scenario where India’s cotton productivity remains lower (around 450–500 kg lint/ha) than countries such as Brazil and China.

The South India Hosiery Manufacturers Association has appealed to the Union government to withdraw the import duty on cotton and also take measures to control the yarn prices.