One District Per State To Be Identified For Cotton Productivity Trials

New Delhi, Feb 13 (KNN) Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh announced on Monday that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has been directed to identify one district in each state for conducting cotton productivity trials.

The initiative comes as India seeks to bridge the significant gap in cotton yields compared to other major producing nations, with countries like Brazil, China, Australia, and Russia achieving 2,000 to 2,200 kg per hectare while India's average production remains at 450-500 kg per hectare.

The government's ambitious plan includes expanding the successful Akola model nationwide, as part of a broader strategy to enhance the textile sector's contribution to the economy.

Singh outlined plans to nearly double India's textile market size from the current USD 176 billion to USD 350 billion by 2030, emphasizing the sector's role as the second-largest employer after agriculture.

The ministry aims to increase textile-related employment from 4.5 crore to 6 crore jobs, supported by a budget allocation of Rs 5,300 crore.

In a significant development for the industry, the upcoming Bharat Tex exhibition is set to host 6,000 foreign exhibitors from 126 nations, marking a substantial increase from last year's 3,000 participants.

The minister also expressed optimism about domestic production of carbon fibre, a crucial technical textile used in defence applications, projecting its manufacture in India by 2026.

The government's commitment to the textile sector is further demonstrated in the Union Budget 2025-26, which introduces a five-year Cotton Mission with a specific focus on extra-long staple varieties.

The budget allocates Rs 500 crore for the National Cotton Technology Mission and provides Rs 5,272 crore to the Ministry of Textiles, representing a 19 percent increase from the previous year's budget estimates of Rs 4,417.03 crore.

(KNN Bureau)