- Dedicated mission to help address domestic-global productivity gap
- Government urges stakeholders to adopt High Density Planting System
The Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), celebrated World Cotton Day 2025 with an event in New Delhi centred on the theme “Cotton 2040: Technology, Climate & Competitiveness.”
Union Minister of Textiles, Giriraj Singh, and Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, attended the celebration.
Key highlights, ministerial directives
Carbon neutrality, sector targets: Minister Giriraj Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving a $350 billion textile sector by 2030, which includes $100 billion in exports, while also striving for carbon neutrality. He emphasised that cotton is the “soul of Indian agriculture.”
Addressing climate challenges: The Minister stressed the need for judicious use of water and electricity, along with the adoption of efficient water use, soil conservation, and renewable energy to protect India’s predominantly rain-fed cotton regions.
Productivity mission: Acknowledging India’s low cotton productivity (around 450 kg/ha compared to 2,000 kg/ha globally), Singh stated that a Mission for Cotton Productivity is under active consideration to address this gap.
Global brand ambition: Singh issued a heartfelt appeal to all stakeholders to ensure that Kasturi Cotton Bharat becomes a globally recognised brand for its purity, quality, and sustainability, comparable to Egyptian Giza or American Supima cotton.
“5F” vision: Pabitra Margherita noted that the Kasturi Cotton initiative has immense potential to contribute to the government’s “5F” (farm-fibre-factory-fashion-foreign) vision.
Focus on technology, sustainability
Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao highlighted that the cotton sector supports six million farmers and employs over 45 million people. She emphasised that the future hinges on technology-led transformation, including advanced breeding, precision farming, digital traceability, and the modernisation of ginning infrastructure.
The ministry urged stakeholders to adopt the High Density Planting System (HDPS) and prioritise sustainability certifications, quality assurance, and value addition.
The event concluded with the signing of several Commercial, Community, and Council Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative with major organisations, including Nitin Spinners, Arvind Ltd, and the All India Cotton FPO Association (AIFCA).
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