Mission for Cotton Productivity: Outlay, Targets, 5F Vision
Why in the news
The Union Cabinet cleared a national mission to lift India’s cotton yields, which trail leaders such as China, Brazil, the US and Australia even though India is the largest producer.
Key facts
- Outlay: ₹5,659.22 crore.
- Implementing ministries: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare together with Textiles.
- Philosophy: the 5F Vision (Farm, Fibre, Factory, Fashion, Foreign).
- Reach: 140 districts, 14 states, 2,000 ginning and processing units.
- Brand: Kasturi Cotton Bharat, a premium and traceable Indian cotton label.
- Outreach: mandis linked to e-platforms for roughly 32 lakh farmers, giving price transparency and direct market access.
Targets at a glance
| Parameter | Present level | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Lint productivity | About 440 kg per hectare | 755 kg per hectare |
| Production | Not stated | 498 lakh bales by 2031 |
| Trash content | Not stated | Below 2% |
| Testing labs | Not stated | Upgrade to global standards |
Methods promoted
- Seeds: high-yielding, climate-resilient and pest-resistant varieties to limit crop loss.
- Techniques: High-Density Planting System, Closer Spacing and Integrated Cotton Management.
- Fibre diversification: flax, bamboo, banana, milkweed and sisal, easing monocropping risk.
- Circular economy: cotton waste recycled into fresh value streams.
Background
- India is the world’s largest cotton producer, with about a quarter of global output, roughly 130 lakh hectares and around 60 lakh farmers.
- Lint is the fibre left after ginning, which separates seed from fibre.
- Bt cotton arrived in 2002 and covers over 90% of the area, but pink bollworm resistance has appeared.
- The Cotton Corporation of India (set up 1970, under the Ministry of Textiles) buys cotton at MSP.
- Zones: Northern (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan), Central (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh) and Southern (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu).
Exam angle
- Nodal ministries: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare plus Textiles.
- Brand name: Kasturi Cotton Bharat, run by the Ministry of Textiles.
- Related terms: lint, ginning, HDPS, Bt cotton, pink bollworm, CCI.