New Delhi [India], May 5 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved Rs 5,659.22 crore for the Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026-27 to 2030-31) to address bottlenecks, declining growth and quality concerns in India's cotton sector and position the country as a competitive player in global textile markets by 2030-31.

Briefing reporters about decisions of the Union Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India is the world's second-largest cotton producer with 297 Lakh bales in 2024-25.

He said about 32 Lakh cotton farmers in the country and the domestic demand is expected to increase to 450 lakh bales by 2030-31.

According to a release, the mission aligns with the government's 5F vision -- Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign and aims to enhance productivity through high-yielding, climate-resilient and pest-resistant seeds along with modern farming practices.

'The mission focuses on enhancing cotton productivity through the development of high-yielding variety seeds resistant to disease and pests,' the release said.

A key focus will be on scaling up technologies such as High Density Planting System, Closer Spacing, Integrated Cotton Management and the promotion of Extra Long Staple cotton. The plan also emphasizes capacity building and modernization of ginning and processing factories to ensure 'least contaminant cotton supply to industry' and improve overall quality.

To strengthen quality assurance, the mission will strengthen cotton testing infrastructure across the country with modern, standardized and accredited facilities for reliable assessment and global benchmarking. It will also roll out robust branding and traceability initiatives under Kasturi Cotton Bharat to position Indian cotton as a 'premium, sustainable, and globally trusted product.'

The Cabinet said the mission will empower farmers through digital integration of market yards, enabling 'transparent price discovery, direct market access, and improved realization through e-platforms.' It will also promote cotton waste recycling and circular economy practices to enhance resource efficiency and generate additional value streams for the industry.

In a bid to diversify India's fibre base, the mission will include natural fibres like flax, ramie, sisal, milkweed, bamboo and banana to complement cotton and align the textile sector with evolving global demand. 'Its strategic integration and promotion to complement cotton and align India's textile sector with evolving global demand patterns,' the release noted.

The initiative will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Textiles, involving 10 ICAR institutes, one CSIR institute and 10 centres of AICRP on Cotton across major cotton-growing states. Initially, 140 districts in 14 states and 2,000 ginning and processing factories will be covered for technology upscaling, farmer training and infrastructure strengthening.

The mission targets production of 498 lakh bales of cotton by 2031, with lint productivity expected to rise from 440 kg per hectare to 755 kg per hectare.

'Approximately 32 lakh farmers will be benefitted leading to self-reliance,' the Cabinet said, adding that the effort marks 'a milestone in making the country self-reliant in the cotton sector.' (ANI)