The Union textiles ministry is set to unveil a revitalised Cotton Technology Mission to enhance the quality and yield of India’s “white gold.” This initiative aims to position India as a key hub for textile sourcing and foreign investments by implementing best practices. The mission is geared towards lessening the country’s reliance on cotton imports, thereby elevating the incomes of over 6 million cotton farmers.
Scheduled to span five years starting from 2024, the project’s financial allocation and policy frameworks will be finalised in the initial 100 days of the new government. With India currently importing 500,000 bales of high-quality cotton, falling short of the required 900,000 bales, the government has set ambitious targets to significantly decrease imports by 2030 through this mission. Key stakeholders including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Cotton Association of India are set to collaborate on this initiative.
The revamped mission will emphasise the adoption of new technologies to enhance cotton production and reduce trash content, and contamination levels. Despite challenges such as transitioning from Bt cotton to Kasturi cotton varieties, Indian authorities aim to drive sustainable growth in the cotton sector over the next decade.
