A major meeting focused on revitalizing cotton productivity in India was held today at the ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chaired the high-level session aimed at identifying challenges and formulating state-wise strategies for cotton production enhancement.
Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh also participated in the deliberations, along with agriculture ministers from Haryana and Maharashtra — Shri Shyam Singh Rana and Shri Manikrao Kokate respectively. The session brought together Vice Chancellors of agricultural universities, ICAR Director General Dr ML Jat, senior officials, scientists, cotton sector stakeholders, and farmers from key cotton-growing states.
Before the meeting, Shri Chouhan visited cotton fields in Tamil Nadu and engaged directly with local farmers, gaining firsthand insights into their experiences and concerns. The formal meeting began with his address, in which he described Tamil Nadu as a land rich in heritage, where a new cotton revolution is now taking shape. He emphasized that the objective of the session went far beyond policy formality — it was a mission toward self-reliance in cotton.
“After food, clothing is the most essential need in life,” Shri Chouhan remarked, underlining the critical role of cotton in fulfilling this need. He lauded the efforts of farmers who supply the raw material for clothing and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to their welfare under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The Minister acknowledged the productivity challenges faced by the Indian cotton sector, particularly the declining efficacy of BT cotton due to pest resistance and disease outbreaks. He emphasized the urgent need to adopt modern technologies, improve seed quality, and develop virus-resistant, high-yielding cotton varieties. Shri Chouhan urged agricultural scientists to work diligently to ensure timely delivery of these improved seeds to farmers.
He also addressed the policy tension between domestic cotton producers and the textile industry. While the industry advocates for removing import duties on foreign cotton to reduce costs, farmers contend that such moves lower local cotton prices. Shri Chouhan called for a balanced approach that protects farmer incomes while ensuring adequate supply for textile manufacturers.
Drawing parallels to a similar soybean-focused meeting held in Indore, the Minister said today’s session was part of his broader Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan — a campaign to develop detailed, crop-wise action plans for Indian agriculture.
Reiterating his vision for a self-sufficient India, Shri Chouhan said, “In a ‘Viksit Bharat’, we should not have to import cotton. Meeting the country’s cotton requirements through domestic, high-quality production is our shared responsibility and goal.”
The meeting concluded with a consensus among all stakeholders to work collectively on research, policy support, and grassroots-level implementation to revive India’s cotton sector and make it globally competitive.
