Cabinet Approves ₹5,659 Crore Cotton Productivity Mission to Boost Cotton Sector

Union Cabinet approved an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore for the Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026–27 to 2030–31) to address bottlenecks, declining growth, and quality concerns in India’s cotton sector.

Mission for Cotton Productivity

¨  The Mission aims to enhance cotton productivity, improve cotton quality, strengthen the cotton value chain, and position India as a globally competitive and self-reliant cotton producer.

¨    It aligns with the Government of India’s 5F vision: Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign.

¨     The Mission will be implemented from 2026–27 to 2030–31.

¨     The total approved financial outlay for the Mission is ₹5,659.22 crore.

¨     Institutional Framework: The Mission will be jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Textiles.

¨     It will involve 10 ICAR institutes, 1 CSIR institute, 10 AICRP centres on cotton, and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).

¨  The initial phase of the Mission will cover 140 districts across 14 States and include 2,000 ginning and processing factories.

¨     The Mission aims to achieve cotton production of 498 lakh bales (170 kg each) by 2031.

¨     It also targets an increase in lint productivity from 440 kg per hectare to 755 kg per hectare.

¨     Around 32 lakh farmers are expected to benefit from the Mission.

Major Focus Areas

¨     Development of Improved Cotton Seeds: The Mission focuses on developing high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, climate-resilient seeds, and pest- and disease-resistant cotton varieties.It also promotes advanced production and crop protection technologies to improve cotton productivity and resilience.

¨  Promotion of Modern Cotton Cultivation Technologies: The Mission promotes large-scale adoption of modern cultivation practices such as High Density Planting System (HDPS), Closer Spacing (CS), Integrated Cotton Management, and Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton cultivation.Technology dissemination will be carried out through State Governments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).

¨     Quality Improvement and Processing Modernisation: The Mission supports the modernisation of ginning factories and cotton processing units.It also promotes best processing practices to ensure least-contaminant cotton supply and improved fibre quality.

¨     Strengthening Cotton Testing Infrastructure: The Mission aims to establish modern, standardized, and accredited cotton testing facilities.These facilities will ensure reliable quality assessment and help India meet global benchmarking standards.

¨  Branding and Traceability: The Mission promotes Kasturi Cotton Bharat to enhance traceability, certification, and branding of Indian cotton as a premium and sustainable global product.It also targets reduction of trash content in cotton to below 2%.

¨     Digital Integration of Mandis: The Mission seeks to integrate market yards with e-platforms for transparent price discovery, direct market access, and better price realization for farmers.

¨     Circular Economy and Sustainability: The Mission promotes cotton waste recycling and circular economy practices.Its objective is to improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental footprint, and generate additional value.

¨     Diversification of Natural Fibres: The Mission encourages the promotion of alternative natural fibres such as flax, ramie, sisal, milkweed, bamboo, and banana.

¨     This supports environmentally sustainable textile production and aligns with evolving global demand patterns.

Significance of the Mission

¨     Reviving India’s Cotton Economy: The Mission addresses declining productivity, pest-related crop losses, fibre quality concerns, and structural bottlenecks affecting India’s cotton sector.

¨   Enhancing Farmer Income and Rural Livelihoods: Higher productivity, better quality cotton, and improved market access are expected to increase farmer income and benefit around 32 lakh cotton farmers.

¨     Strengthening India’s Textile Value Chain: Availability of high-quality and contamination-free cotton will support the domestic textile industry and improve India’s competitiveness in global textile manufacturing.

¨     Boosting Cotton Exports and Global Branding: Kasturi Cotton Bharat branding and traceability mechanisms will promote Indian cotton as a premium and sustainable product in international markets.

¨   Promoting Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Agriculture: The Mission supports climate-resilient farming, efficient resource utilisation, recycling practices, and environmentally sustainable fibre diversification.

¨  Reducing Import Dependence and Supporting Self-Reliance: Higher domestic cotton production and productivity will help meet rising industrial demand and reduce dependence on cotton imports.

¨  Advancing the Government’s 5F Vision: The Mission strengthens integration across the cotton value chain from Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign and supports India’s long-term goal of becoming a globally competitive textile hub.