To revitalise India’s textile sector in alignment with Vision 2030, the Union Government has introduced a comprehensive Cotton Productivity Mission, announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 by Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman. The initiative aims to elevate the nation’s cotton production, fibre quality, and climate adaptability while ensuring a stable raw material base for the Indian textile industry.

The Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) has been appointed as the nodal agency to coordinate this mission, with the Ministry of Textiles acting as a core partner in execution and support.

Objectives and Vision:

The mission is primarily intended to:

• Boost cotton productivity across India’s cotton-growing states

• Introduce high-yielding, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient cotton varieties

• Develop Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton using advanced breeding and biotechnology tools

• Support small and marginal farmers through sustainable practices

• Promote best practices using agro-ecological zoning

This effort falls under the broader “5F Vision” introduced by the government, which connects Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, encapsulating the entire value chain of the Indian textile industry.

Special Project on Cotton:

To further accelerate the transformation, a Special Project on Cotton titled “Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones” has been launched under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM). The project is being carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Institute for Cotton Research (ICAR–CICR), Nagpur.

The project has been implemented across eight major cotton-producing states, and spans FY24, FY25, and continues into FY26, with a total budget allocation of ₹6,03,23,500 (approx. US$ 698,614).

Key elements of the project include:

• Large-scale demonstration of cotton cultivation best practices

• Transfer of innovative agro-technologies

• Empowerment of cotton farmers through field-level training

• Improved resilience against climatic and pest-related challenges

Enhancing Cotton Quality and Yield:

One of the most ambitious components of this project is the development and distribution of ELS cotton, which is in high demand in global markets for producing high-end textile and apparel products. The biotechnology-based breeding techniques being promoted under this initiative aim to provide disease-resistant, climate-resilient, and high-fibre-quality seeds to farmers.

Farmers are being trained to shift toward:

• Integrated pest management (IPM)

• Water-use efficiency and soil health management

• Optimal crop rotation and input usage

• Low-input high-output agronomic models

Alignment with Global Textile Trends:

The cotton productivity mission also reflects the Government’s ambition to align with global best practices and environmental sustainability benchmarks. India, as the second-largest cotton producer globally, aims to raise per-acre cotton yield, meet export demand, and reduce dependence on imports of ELS cotton.

The mission is designed to:

• Make India self-reliant in premium cotton fibre

• Strengthen the competitiveness of Indian textile exports

• Create employment across rural and semi-urban areas tied to cotton value chains

• Integrate sustainability with economic growth in agriculture and textiles

Partnership and Inter-Ministerial Collaboration:

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Textiles, and various state-level departments are jointly implementing this programme. In addition, several agricultural universities, KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras), and private agritech players are being roped in to support demonstrations, data collection, and on-ground monitoring.

Future Outlook and Vision 2030 Goals:

Under the Vision 2030 framework, the cotton productivity mission is expected to bring:

• Significant increase in average cotton yields per hectare

• Greater availability of quality cotton for textile industries

• Rise in farmers’ income through productivity-linked support

• Improved global ranking of India’s textile exports

India’s textile sector, which already contributes nearly 2% to the GDP and over 12% to export earnings, is being primed to evolve into a globally dominant hub for sustainable and high-value textiles. The Government's emphasis on cotton as the backbone of this growth ensures that rural India will remain integral to this national vision.

This mission is not only a technical and economic intervention—it is also a strategic push for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). By integrating innovation, infrastructure, training, and global vision, the Cotton Productivity Mission under Vision 2030 seeks to transform Indian agriculture and textiles into engines of inclusive growth and global excellence.

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