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The Textile Ministry has initiated a programme to increase cotton yield and has tested out high density cotton cropping on 1,000 acres in Telangana this season.
Speaking to media Kavita Gupta, Textile Commissioner, said the initial feedback has been very encouraging and all indications are that the yield would increase to 800 kg/hectare from the average current level of 540 kg/ha.
“We would be gradually increasing the high density cropping coverage to 5,000 acres next year. Similarly, in Nagpur we are going to replicate Israel model of drought resistance cotton crop which will consume less water compared to the normal variety,” she said.
Gupta said a five-member committee headed by KR Kranthi, Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research, was formed on Tuesday to conduct a study on latest developments in the cotton farming across the world and submit a report in six months suggesting best practice for adoption in India.
Expressing concern over the recent bollworm attack on Bt cotton which supposed to be pest resistance, she said any technology has a shelf life of five years as pests also develops resistance power against the technology. Meanwhile, the Cotton Advisory Board has forecast output to fall seven per cent to 352 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) in crop season started in October 2015 due pest attack in Gujarat and Punjab and severe drought in Karnataka.
With China cutting down on its import, India has found a new market for its cotton in neighbouring Pakistan.
In the December quarter, the country has exported 16.6 lakh bales of cotton to Pakistan against 3.8 lakh bales in the same period last year, according to the data compiled by Textiles Commissioner’s office under Ministry of Textiles.
The sudden jump in export to Pakistan was due to whitefly pest attack damaging about 40 per cent of crop in that country, said Gupta.
The prevailing trend in cotton exports is likely to continue for the rest of the year as other countries such as Bangladesh, China and Indonesia are also ramping up their cotton procurement from India, she added.
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