India’s Cotton Tech Mission aims to enhance quality in 100 days

The project, spanning five years from 2024, will finalize its financial allocation and other policy frameworks within the initial 100 days of the new government.

The Union textiles ministry is preparing to launch a revamped Cotton Technology Mission with the goal of enhancing the quality and output of India’s “white gold.” This initiative aims to adopt best practices that could establish India as a prominent destination for textile sourcing and foreign investment.

The mission is intended to decrease reliance on imports for this vital raw material and to boost the earnings of India’s more than 6 million cotton farmers. The project, spanning five years from 2024, will finalize its financial allocation and other policy frameworks within the initial 100 days of the new government.

It was noted that India currently imports 500,000 bales of high-quality cotton, falling short of its required 900,000 bales. Nonetheless, the government has set an ambitious target to significantly reduce these imports by 2030 through the proposed mission.

The ministry plans to conduct stakeholder consultations in the upcoming months. Given the existence of a model code of conduct, the government aims to utilize this period to conclude discussions and draft a policy framework.    

The textiles ministry intends to launch the revamped cotton technology mission in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Cotton Association of India, and various associations of ginners in the country.

The policy will concentrate on introducing new technologies to decrease trash content, contamination levels, and enable real-time sample testing.

The proposed mission will emphasise increasing cotton production by adopting best agricultural practices, utilising quality seeds, and implementing a high-density planting scheme.