Cotton Cultivation in India: Important Things You Should Know

Cotton is a primary raw material for the textile industry. Read here to know about Cotton cultivation in India.

Cotton, often called “White Gold”, is one of India’s most significant commercial crops and holds a central place in the country’s agricultural and industrial economy.

India contributes nearly one-fourth of global cotton output and sustains millions of livelihoods through farming, processing, and textile production.

Yet, despite having the world’s largest acreage under cotton, India ranks low in productivity, highlighting the sector’s persistent structural challenges.

Cotton Cultivation in India

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Cotton cultivation in India dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, when Indian textiles were celebrated worldwide for their craftsmanship.

However, during colonial rule, India was reduced to a raw cotton supplier for British mills.

India lost a large proportion of its growing area to Pakistan during partition. However, its acreage has increased considerably during the last 50 years.

Now, Cotton occupies about 4.7 per cent of the total cropped area in the country.

• Growing Conditions: Cotton is a subtropical crop that thrives in warm, frost-free climates with adequate humidity. It grows well in deep alluvial soils of north India, black soils of central India, and red-black mixed soils of southern India. While tolerant to salinity, it is highly vulnerable to waterlogging, making proper drainage essential.

• Cropping Pattern: Cotton is primarily a Kharif crop, sown in April–May in northern India and with the monsoon in southern and central zones.

• Irrigation Dependence: About 67% of cotton area is rain-fed, while only a third is irrigated, making it heavily reliant on monsoon patterns.

• Varieties: India cultivates both hybrid cotton (cross-bred for desirable traits) and Bt Cotton (genetically modified to resist bollworm pests).

India is the world’s second-largest producer and consumer of cotton, after China. Cotton sustains around 6 million farmers and 40–50 million workers in processing, ginning, spinning, and trade.

Conditions required for Cotton cultivation

• Cotton is a tropical or sub-tropical crop grown in semi-arid areas of the country (mainly in the Deccan Plateau).
• Hard frost is injurious to cotton cultivation, and it requires at least 210 frost-free days.
• Only light rainfall (50 to 100 centimetres) is preferred. Cotton can also be cultivated under irrigated conditions.
• It requires high temperatures and bright sunshine for its growth.
• Cotton requires a clear sky during the flowering stage.
• A ligh,t well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop. Black cotton soil is prefered.
• It is a Kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.

Major cotton-producing states in India

There are three cotton-growing areas in India –

1. Parts of Punjab, Haryana and northern Rajasthan in the north-west
2. Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west
3. Plateaus of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the south.

Leading producers of this crop are Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana.

Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are also significant cotton producers.

Key Challenges in Cotton Cultivation

Despite its importance, the cotton sector in India faces several hurdles:

Weather Variability and Climate Risks

• Erratic rainfall, droughts, floods, and soil degradation significantly impact yields.
• Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns pose long-term risks.

Low Yields and Outdated Practices

• India’s average productivity (480 kg/ha) is far below the global average (800 kg/ha).
• Limited adoption of modern seeds, mechanization, and scientific practices hampers efficiency.

Pest and Disease Infestations

• Pests such as the Pink Bollworm (PBW) and declining effectiveness of Bt Cotton varieties have reduced yields.
• Cotton output has dropped to a 15-year low of 25 million bales.

High Cost of Cultivation: Rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and labour make cotton farming economically unsustainable for small and marginal farmers.

Market-Related Challenges

• Farmers often have to sell at below-MSP prices due to poor procurement networks.
• Volatile global markets, tariffs, and cheap imports reduce profitability and competitiveness.

Government Initiatives for the Cotton Sector

Over the years, the government has launched multiple schemes and policies to support cotton farmers and the textile industry:

• Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), 1970: Ensures MSP procurement and stabilises markets.
• Technology Mission on Cotton (2000): Aimed at improving productivity and fibre quality.
• Bt Cotton (2002): India’s first GM crop adoption.
• Cotton Development Programme under NFSM (2014–15): Focused on raising productivity across 15 states.
• National Technical Textiles Mission (2020): Encourages value addition and innovation.
• Mega Investment Textile Parks (MITRA): Provides world-class infrastructure for the textile sector.
• Cott-Ally Mobile App: Offers farmers real-time updates on MSP, weather, and procurement.
• Textile Advisory Group (TAG) & COCPC: Coordinate policy, productivity, and branding of Indian cotton.

In news

Cotton Support Measures: MSP Hike and Import Duty Waiver Extension

The Union government has announced a package of measures to stabilise India’s cotton economy for the 2025–26 season, balancing the twin concerns of farmer welfare and the textile industry’s raw material needs.

Key Measures:

1. Extension of Import Duty Waiver

   • The 11% import duty waiver on cotton has been extended.

   • This measure is expected to reduce input costs for India’s textile and garment industry, which has faced rising raw material prices due to domestic shortages.

2. Hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP)

   • The government has raised the MSP for cotton for the 2025–26 marketing season.

   • This ensures farmers receive remunerative prices even when market prices dip, protecting them against distress sales.

3. Expanded Procurement Efforts

   • Agencies like the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) have been tasked with intensifying procurement from farmers.

   • This step will help absorb surplus at harvest and maintain market stability.

Conclusion

Cotton remains the backbone of India’s farm-to-fabric economy, connecting millions of farmers with one of the world’s largest textile industries.

However, the sector faces persistent vulnerabilities, from climate risks and pest infestations to low yields and market volatility.

Strengthening MSP procurement, adopting sustainable and modern farming practices, upgrading textile infrastructure, and branding Indian cotton globally are crucial steps forward.

UPSC Question from this topic

Q. “The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimetres of rainfall for its growth. A light, well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop? (UPSC CSE 2020)

(a) Cotton
(b) Jute
(c) Sugarcane
(d) Tea

Answer: (a) Cotton

Read: 

• Cotton industry in India
• BT Cotton