The Cotton Association of India (CAI), the apex trade body for the sector, has urged the Government to provide budgetary support of at least ₹500 crore to help farmers adopt drip irrigation systems in their fields to boost yields. The trade body has also sought introduction of new seed varieties to improve yields.

Approximately, 67 per cent of India’s cotton is produced in rain-fed areas. Since cotton is totally dependent on rains in these areas, it does not get adequate water during critical flowering and fruiting stages, when the requirement of water is more than 80% of the total water requirement of cotton crop, said Atul. S. Ganatra, President, CAI.

Due to this, cotton yield in rain-fed areas is substantially lower compared to irrigated belts, especially in Maharashtra where about 95 per cent area is rain-fed and in scanty-water availability areas of states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat.

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“In order to overcome this, we have suggested to the Government to provide budgetary support to our farmers in rain-fed and scanty-water availability areas and encourage them to introduce drip irrigation technology. Since the cost of installing drip irrigation in India is very high, we have requested the Government to provide for the farmers’ benefit a budgetary support of at least ₹500 crores for setting up drip irrigation system in farmers’ fields.” Ganatra said at the 102^nd Annual General Meeting of the CAI on Saturday.

Also, carrying out demonstrations through private public partnership is another step that can help in creating awareness among farmers about the benefits of using drip irrigation technology. This will not only ensure efficient water resource management but also boost our cotton yields manifold, Ganatra said. “Apart from substantially increasing our cotton yield, drip irrigation will also prove to be an effective tool to save 40-60 per cent of total water required for irrigation through flood,” he added.

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India’s per hectare cotton yields is among the lowest in the world and far below the world average cotton yield of over 800 kgs. per hectare. “One of the main reasons for our low cotton productivity is the use of obsolete GM cotton technology by about 95% of our cotton farmers. Over the years and in the absence of any advancement in GM technology in India, Pink Bollworms have developed resistance to GM cotton seeds,” he said.

According to Indian researchers, the long duration crop cycle with long flowering and fruiting window of Indian cotton is unsuitable to the most of our rain-fed areas and is susceptible to Pink Bollworm infestation. “Introduction of new seeds of high yielding varieties with good fibre quality which are best suited to local conditions and are tolerant to locally prevalent biotic (insects and pathogens) and abiotic (specific window of temperature, drought, etc.) factors is the need of hour for increasing our productivity atleast to the world average productivity mark. I am happy to report that our Government fully recognises this and is providing necessary policy support to meet this requirement in a time bound manner.” he said.

CAI Office Bearers for 2024-25

Meanwhile, Atul. S. Ganatra has been re-appointed as the President of Cotton Association of India (CAI) for the year 2024-25. CAI is the country’s apex cotton trade body.

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At the meeting of the CAI’s Board of Directors held on 24th December, the following office bearers have been appointed for the year 2024-25. Atul S. Ganatra – President, Bhupendrasingh Rajpal — Vice-President and Vinay N. Kotak, Addl. Vice-President. Shyamsunder M. Makharia has been appointed as Executive. Addl. Vice-President, Rintu K. Pandya, Hon. Treasurer and Sudhirkumar Mantri, Hon. Addl. Treasurer, a CAI statement said.