Various challenges and possibilities including increasing the productivity of cotton, reducing cost, production of good quality cotton were discussed in detail in the Coimbatore meeting today.
In a significant push to improve cotton productivity in India, a high-level meeting was held today at the ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, under the leadership of Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting brought together top officials, agriculture scientists, and farmers to chart a future roadmap for India’s cotton sector.
Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Vice Chancellors of agricultural universities, ICAR DG & Secretary (DARE) Dr. M.L. Jat, and other stakeholders attended the meeting. Before the meeting, Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited local cotton fields and interacted with farmers to understand their issues firsthand.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that now is the time to become self-reliant in cotton production. Our resolve is that before 2030 we will stop importing cotton and open the way for export. The kind of long staple, quality cotton that the industry needs, the same quality cotton can be produced. For this, Team Cotton will be formed, which will include representatives of the Ministry of Textiles and Agriculture, states, Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities and progressive farmers.
Agriculture Minister acknowledged the existing challenges in cotton production, pointing out that India’s productivity still lags behind many other countries. The Bt cotton variety, once developed to boost yields, is now under threat from diseases, leading to declining productivity. He stressed the need for India to adopt modern technologies and develop virus-resistant, high-yielding seeds. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring the timely delivery of improved seeds to farmers and urged scientists to work with full dedication to achieve this.
Chouhan also observed that while the textile industry often demands the removal of import duties to allow access to cheaper foreign cotton, farmers argue that such a move depresses local cotton prices. Therefore, the government must strike a balance between the interests of both the industry and the farmers.
Taking forward the ‘Developed Agriculture Resolution Campaign’, it was announced that crop-wise and state-wise meetings would be held.The first meeting was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on soybean. After this, today in Coimbatore, discussions were held on the challenges of cotton production and future strategies to increase productivity. The Agriculture Minister of Tamil Nadu Government was also invited for this meeting, but he did not attend.