India Cotton Import

Why in news?

 India’s Cotton imports increase despite pressure on Indian cotton prices

• Scientific name – Gossypium.
• Genus - Of flowering plants in the tribe Gossypieae of the mallow family, Malvaceae.
• Location -   Tropical and subtropical regions.
• BT Cotton - Genetically modified Cotton by the insertion of one or more genes from a common soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis.
• India cotton year – October 1 to September 30.
• India’s cotton production – India has 38% of cotton global average and  23% of the global production.
• Surge in the cotton import – 7 % decline in production due to reduction in acreage and excessive rainfall ( 2024-25), weak international cotton price and domestic price has increased by 40 % due to the MSP.
  • India ramps up cotton imports even as domestic prices face downward pressure.
• Disparity- Cotton farmers believe that the procurement price for cotton in India is low, while international cotton is being offered at a lower rate." 
• Top cotton producing countries (in Bales) – China( 31 Million bales), India ( 25), USA ( 14.4 ), Brazil( 17) and Pakistan( 5.2 ).
• Top cotton producing states- Maharashtra (  25 %), Gujarat( 20%), Telangana(15%), Andhra Pradesh ( 10%) and Karnataka (8%).
• Cotton Mission, 2025- Announced in the Budget by the Ministry of Finance, to boost the cotton productivity and farmer’s income, using science and technology.
  • Through this mission India should focus on enhancing productivity to ensure Indian cotton remains competitive
    • F 5 Principles of Mission Cotton - Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign.

References

1. The Hindu | India’s cotton import
2. PIB | Mission Cotton