Cotton

Cotton farming declines in Maharashtra amid rising costs, low mechanisation

Cotton cultivation in Maharashtra has shrunk by nearly 4.59 lakh hectares over four years as high labour costs and lack of mechanisation push farmers towards soybean, a cotton expert said. In 2020-21, cotton was cultivated on 45.45 lakh hectares across Maharashtra, with an output of 101.05 lakh bales (each bale weighs 170 kilograms). By 2024-25, the area dropped to 40.86 lakh hectares, and the projected production is 87.63 lakh bales, according to data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Cotton Research Centre, Nanded. Dr Arvind Pandagale, an agronomist from the Cotton Research Centre, told PTI that cotton cultivation is largely being replaced by soybean. "Cotton has to be picked by hand. The labour cost for cotton picking is Rs 10 per kg. The selling price is not more than Rs 70 per kg. Plus, the crop needs spraying of pesticides, and the manpower required for this is a big and costly part," he said. "The cost of growing cotton is increasing, which

'Conflict of interest' issues becoming a trap in adopting GM tech

GEAC and RCGM remain robust, science-driven regulatory bodies committed to biosafety and public interest; constructive dialogue after scientific review can effectively build trust and transparency

Govt extends duty-free cotton imports till Dec 31 to aid textile exporters

The Finance Ministry has extended duty exemption on cotton till December 2025 to ease raw material supply, support garment exporters and cushion the impact of US tariffs on RMG

Centre removes cotton import duty till Sept 30 to aid textile sector

The Centre has waived the 11 per cent duty on cotton imports till September 30, providing relief to the textile industry facing higher US tariffs and intense global competition

Kharif sowing update: Cotton, soybean show slower progress than last year

In the case of soybeans, traders said that total acreage covered could be lower than last year as farmers have struggled to get adequate price for their crops due to unregulated imports of edible oils

Trump's tariffs revive Tiruppur as global buyers shift orders from China

Buyers are rushing to Tiruppur after Trump's tariffs hit rivals like China, Vietnam and Bangladesh, sparking hopes of a double-digit export surge this year

India's cotton imports to double as output falls short, says trade body

Higher imports by world's second-largest producer of the fibre could support global prices, which fell to their lowest in more than 4 years after top consumer China levied duties on imports from US

Budget 2025: FM promises intervention in 100 districts to boost crop yields

Credit limit on KCC raised to Rs 5 lakh; farm Budget at Rs 1.71 trn, 22% more than FY25RE

Budget 2025-26: Cotton Mission gets a boost to improve productivity

The budget allocation for the textile sector saw a steep increase from the FY24-25 revised figure of Rs 3,342 crore to Rs 5,252 crore

UK lawmakers slam Shein for refusing to answer questions on cotton supply

A lawyer for Shein summoned to a British parliamentary hearing evaded questions Tuesday on whether the fast-fashion giant sells products containing cotton from China, angering lawmakers seeking answers on the retailer's labour practices and allegations of forced labour in its supply chains. Executives from Shein and its rival Temu were grilled on their labour rights compliance and how they source their products at Parliament's business and trade committee Tuesday. The hearing came amid reports that Shein, which was founded in China but is now based in Singapore, is preparing for a 50 billion-pound ($62 billion) listing on the London Stock Exchange in the first quarter of this year. Both global retailers are growing in popularity worldwide for selling mostly Chinese-made clothes and products at bargain prices. But they have drawn criticism over allegations that their supply chains may be tainted by forced labour, including from China's far-west Xinjiang province, where rights groups .

Cotton growers' body seeks Rs 500 cr for drip irrigation in rainfed areas

The association's president, Atul Ganatra said that around 67 per cent of India's cotton is produced in rain-fed areas

Soyabean, cotton farmers to be given Rs 5,000 per hectare: Shivraj

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday expressed concern over soil degradation affecting 30 per cent of India's land and stressed the need for urgent measures to maintain soil quality for sustainable farming. Addressing a global conference on soil through video conferencing, Chouhan said improving soil health is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to zero hunger, climate action and life on land. "We are producing more than 330 million foodgrains annually and exporting worth USD 50 billion. This success however comes with concerns, especially regarding soil health," the minister said. According to Chouhan, about 30 per cent of India's land is experiencing degradation due to rising fertiliser consumption, imbalanced use of fertilisers, exploitation of natural resources and wrong soil management practices. The minister highlighted various government initiatives, including the distribution of more than 220 million soil health cards to farme

Cotton output likely to fall 7.4% as excessive rainfall damage crop

Lower production will reduce exports from the world's second biggest cotton producer in the current marketing year started on Oct. 1 and force the country to increase imports, supporting global prices

Cotton exports likely to double to 2.85 mn bales in 2023-24 season: CAI

Cotton exports are expected to almost double to 28.50 lakh bales in the 2023-24 season against 15.50 lakh bales in the previous crop year 2022-23, as the average prices of Indian cotton were cheaper in the world market, Cotton Association of India (CAI) said on Tuesday. "Indian cotton was ruling at a much cheaper rate during February-March compared to the global market. During this period, a lot of exports took place, including 20 lakh bales to neighbouring Bangladesh," CAI president Atul S Ganatra told PTI. He said that for the current season, which starts from October 1, the average rate of cotton is Rs 57,500 per candy, while in the previous year, it was Rs 62,500 per candy. Meanwhile, the total production estimated by the CAI Crop Committee for the season 2023-24 stood at 325.29 lakh bales compared to 318.90 lakh bales in the previous season. The cotton imports are now projected at 1.10 lakh bales higher than the previous estimates. CAI has reduced its domestic consumption ...

Govt targets 1,000 kg cotton yield per hectare for 11 states: Giriraj Singh

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday said the government has set a cotton yield target of 1,000 kilograms per hectare across 11 top cotton producing states as it aims to replicate the best practices followed in Akola, Maharashtra. The Akola model of cotton production, also known as the High-Density Planting (HDPS) model, is a technique that involves planting more cotton plants in a smaller space. The model is being used in Akola to increase cotton yields and is expected to be replicated across the country. India's current yield of around 450 kg per hectare is much lower than competitors like China, Australia and Brazil, among others. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha are among the top cotton producing states in India. "We have decided and developed a model (for cotton production) based on (best practices followed in) Akola, Maharashtra. It is true that world over, in Japan, Brazil, Australia, China, .

Floods in Bangladesh impacting cotton import, shipments may divert to India

Some cotton shipments could get diverted to India, Pakistan and Vietnam, commodity analysts said

Cotton yarn, fabric, handloom exports up 7% to $11.7 bn in FY24, shows data

The country's cotton yarn, fabrics/made-ups and handlooms exports rose 6.71 per cent year-on-year to USD 11.7 billion in 2023-24, even as the total exports dipped by 3 per cent in the last fiscal. According to the commerce ministry data, these exports in March grew by 6.78 per cent to USD 1 billion. In 2022-23, these exports stood at USD 10.95 billion. This is one of the key product categories out of 30 closely monitored by the ministry. The top five export markets for the sector during the last fiscal year were the US, Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, and the UAE. The US accounts for over 25 per cent of India's total cotton yarn, fabrics/made-ups and handlooms exports, followed by Bangladesh (16 per cent), China (6.6 per cent), Sri Lanka (4.4 per cent), and UAE (2.35 per cent). In 2023-24, the outbound shipments also entered new geographies like Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Eastern Caribbean; Serbia; Georgia; Sweden; Cyprus; Azerbaijan; and Iran. The other new mark

Welspun Living Q4 results: Net Profit increases 16% to Rs 146 crore

Analysts expect a further increase in demand and easing prices of key raw materials, such as cotton, to boost textile firms' bottomline in the next few quarters as well

Centre willing to procure jute, cotton crop if prices fall below MSP: Goyal

The government is willing to procure the harvest of jute and cotton from farmers if the market price is lower than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. The minister further said that the Centre is working towards increasing the production of jute and cotton and is willing to provide quality seeds and fertilisers for quality produce to fulfil the vision of farm to foreign exports. The Union Minister for Textiles, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Commerce & Industry made the remarks during his interaction with beneficiaries of the Textile Sector here as he also urged them to be vocal for local. "Be vocal for local and take local to global. That's the clarion call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to showcase our products on the world stage", Goyal said. The minister further noted that ramping up textile production in the country will spur income, open up employment opportunities and play a vital role in making the ..

Cotton output may decline by 8% to 29.4 mn bales in 2023-24 season: CAI

Cotton production may decline by around 8 per cent to 294.10 lakh bales in the 2023-24 season due to lower yields in most growing regions, according to the Cotton Association of India (CAI) estimates released on Thursday. The total cotton production during the 2022-23 season (October-September) stood at 318.90 lakh bales of 170 kg each, according to CAI data. "The production this year is expected to lower by 24.8 lakh bales at 294.10 lakh bales following infestation of pink ball worms in the northern region, while the yield in the southern and the central regions will be affected due to no rainfall for 45 days from August, 1 till September 15," CAI president Atul Ganatra told PTI. The total supply till the end of November 2023 is estimated at 92.05 lakh bales which consists of the arrivals of 60.15 lakh bales, imports of 3 lakh bales and the opening stock of 28.90 lakh bales at the beginning of the season. Further, the CAI has estimated cotton consumption up to the end of November