India may grab 2nd slot from US in cotton output

The country was likely to replace the US as the second largest producer of cotton by 2012, even as it had already overtaken the world's largest economy to become the second largest cotton consumer, said experts.

The cotton production in the eleventh Five-Year Plan (2007-2012) was expected to grow at a rate of over 8 per cent, with the consumption outstripping it and growing at a rate of over 12 per cent during the period, they added.

"Rise in production and consumption of cotton in the next Five-Year Plan can rightly be assumed," said J N Singh, textile commissioner, ministry of textiles.

"India has tremendous upward potential in cotton productivity. If the production trend of cotton in Gujarat is any indication, reaching 8.28 per cent growth is pretty achievable," he added.

The average yield of cotton in Gujarat, which was around 500 kg a hectare in 2003-04, has increased to over 700 kg a hectare in 2005-06.

Moreover, if Maharashtra (the state with the largest area under cotton cultivation in the country) reaches the present figure of Gujarat even in the next five years, the state will add up further 90 lakh bales. The country's production is expected to be 390 lakh bales (each bale = 170 kg) in 2011-12 from the present 270 lakh bales.

With the spreading use of high-yielding Bt cotton (whose present usage is 35-40 per cent), the government is hopeful of many cotton-producing regions utilising the hybrid variety in the years to come. "States such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana and Karnataka can do a lot (in Bt cotton use)," Singh added.

Cotton consumption is set to grow manifold, thanks to the retail sector expected to grow from 3.5 per cent to 8-10 per cent in the next 3 to 4 years and a booming economy growing at a rate of 8 to 9 per cent.

"All these factors, along with rising young urban population, will lead to high consumption growth of cotton above 12 per cent," he said.

Amidst boosting the textile sector, Singh said the government must carry on with projects such as Technology Mission Cell, helpful in reducing contamination in cotton, and Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS).

"Under the TUFS, ginners can certainly get support," he added.