Rs 100 crore boost: Centre's cotton mission a shot in the arm for TN's textile sector
Textile experts noted that as of now the state's annual cotton production of around 5 lakh bales falls steeply short of the 120 lakh bales required by the textile mills
CHENNAI: With the state set to receive Rs 100 crores to support its efforts in doubling the cotton yield, boosting farmer incomes and modernizing outdated ginning facilities, the union government's mission for cotton productivity is expected to act as a shot in the arm for the textile sector in Tamil Nadu.
According to a report in The Times of India, the initiative which has a national allocation of Rs 5,900 crores, will significantly help TN curb its reliance on expensive cotton imported from other states and also enhance its play in the international markets. Cotton cultivation in the state is concentrated in regions including Kumbakonam, Perambalur, Manaparai, Ottanchathiram, Vasudevanallur, and Kovilpatti.
Textile experts noted that as of now the state's annual cotton production of around 5 lakh bales falls steeply short of the 120 lakh bales required by the textile mills. However, they also highlight the fact that with proper interventions, the production has a chance to go up by 15 lakh bales by 2030 and could even increase to 25 lakh bales in the future.
When discussing strategies, experts placed weight on seed development and agronomy research in collaboration with institutions like the Central Institute for Cotton Research or private seed companies. Also, according to a technique tested in recent pilot projects, the adoption of high-density planting could increase plant count from 25,000 to 60,000 per hectare.
It may be noted that the state also has a unique advantage of being able to grow cotton in both winter and summer seasons which paves way for an opportunity to cultivate high-value, extra-long staple cotton. Experts said that apart from strategies, there is also a need to address the shortage of labour in cotton farming.
Along with all these measures, there is also a need to modernize the outdated ginning process to improve fibre quality and efficiency. Experts in the field are heaving a sigh of relief over fresh focus on research after battling with years of lack of funding. They said that by developing soil and climate-specific seed varieties and promoting precision farming, TN can increase its yield, lower production costs and reduce its dependency on minimum support prices.
