The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) for Cotton Development and Research Association (CD&RA) has decided to promote naturally coloured cotton in 100 acres immediately, its Chairman CK Narayanasaami said here recently.

Speaking at the 40th annual general meeting of the association, he recalled the efforts taken by the Ministry of Textiles towards exploring the possibilities for development of naturally coloured cotton and the Government’s decision to support the project both – directly and through CCI. “Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Dharwad University and SIMA CD&RA have been identified as the implementing agencies for this project. We plan to promote the naturally coloured cotton on 100 acres. We are also taking efforts to develop long staple coloured cotton,” he said.

Meanwhile, M-55, a long staple high yielding variety developed by CD&RA, has been taken up for national trials in 2014-15 in 20 centres across the country, he said and pointed out that this variety recorded a yield of 2,470 kg/hectare, 38 per cent ginning outturn and 7.8 elongation.

The association produced 238 kg of SHH-13 hybrid seeds, which would be distributed to the farmers in the coming season, conducted trials on high density planting system for GP-374 – a long staple, short duration variety and distributed 3,750 packets (of 450 gm each) of SIMA GKD-1 Bt cotton hybrid seed supplied by Kaveri Seed Company during the year, he said.

Earlier, Narayanasaami was re-elected Chairman of SIMA CD&RA for 2015-16 and B Lakshminarayana, Managing Director, Van Tex Ltd, re-elected Deputy Chairman and R Elango, Executive Director, Sangeeth Textiles as Vice-Chairman of the association for 2015-16.

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