INDIA AIMS TO LEAD GLOBAL COTTON PRODUCTION

Piyush Goyal, Minister for Textiles, Commerce, and Industry, expresses India’s ambition to become the world’s largest cotton producer globally.

Inaugurates the 81st plenary session of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) in Mumbai.

Source: MapsofIndia

Global Event:

Presents at the event themed “Cotton Value Chain: Local Innovations for Global Prosperity.”

  • India’s Current Standing:India holds current position as the second-largest cotton producer with the largest cultivation area.
  • Government Initiatives:
    • PM MITRA, a government scheme for mega textile parks, aiming to boost the entire value chain.
    • National Technical Textiles Mission focuses on research and development in technical textiles.
  • Industry Goals:Sets a target for the Indian textile industry to achieve $250 billion by 2030, with $100 billion in exports.
  • Innovative Initiatives:Launches “Kasturi Cotton Bharat” brand, utilizing blockchain technology for traceability and claiming to be “carbon positive.”
  • Emphasis on the positive impact of innovation and the Internet of Things on Indian cotton farming.

 Cotton Industry Insights:

  • Historical Export: During the Middle Ages, cotton was exported to Eastern and European markets.
  • First Cotton Mill: The initial cotton mill in India, established in 1818 at Fort Gloster near Kolkata, faced commercial failure.
  • Ahmedabad’s Role: Ahmedabad, known as the ‘Manchester of India,‘ plays a significant role in the cotton industry.
  • Impressive Growth: Cotton production in India soared from 119 lakh bales in 1991-92 to 345 lakh in 2016-17, marking a remarkable 190% growth.
  • Apparel Export Focus: India’s cotton industry strongly contributes to apparel exports, accounting for about 51% of the overall apparel exports. Notably, 74% of India’s exported apparel is cotton-based.
  • Export Rankings: In 2020, India secured the third position globally in raw cotton exports, holding a substantial 10.2% share of the total global exports.