COTTON
PRODUCTION - AGRICULTURE
News: Cotton pilot scheme a hit, govt to
extend it by a year
What's
in the news?
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Cotton, often referred to as "White-Gold," is a crucial crop in
India, providing food, feed, and fiber for various purposes and supporting
millions of farmers. However, recent years have seen a decline in cotton
production and yields, posing challenges.
Key
takeaways:
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The special project on cotton to enhance
production during 2023-24 was started in April 2023 till March 2024, engaging
15,000 farmers in 10 states.
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Cotton production in these states is
projected to grow at 20-25%, a substantial increase at a time when all-India
cotton production has been on a downhill slide.
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Adoption of best agronomy practices,
quality seeds and high-density planting systems have contributed to this
growth, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
Top
3 Cotton Producers:
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China
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India
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USA
Top
3 Cotton (Raw) Exporters:
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USA
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Brazil
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India
Top
3 Cotton Importers:
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China
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Bangladesh
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Vietnam
Go
back to basics:
Cotton:
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Cotton is a versatile crop known for its white fluffy fibre, oil-rich seeds and
protein-rich seed cake.
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It has various uses, including textiles, cooking oil and livestock feed.
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Cotton is a tropical and sub-tropical crop.
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Climate
– 21 - 30°C and minimum 180 frost free days.
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Rainfall
– 50 - 100 cm
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Sunny days are important at all stages of
growth, particularly during flowering and maturity stages.
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Major
Production - Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana
are the major cotton producing states which produce about 65% of cotton
production in the country.
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Soil
- Black Soil (Regur Soil).