SIMA spins new strategy to up cotton output

Considering the increasing demand for cotton from the textile industry and the big advantage the farmers can gain from higher productivity, the Cotton Development & Research Association of the South India Mills Association (SIMA) has targeted to enhance production of cotton to 35 million bales of 170 kg each in the next two years.
Cotton production in the current year is expected to be around 26 million bales, against 24.25 million bales in cotton year August-September 2005-06, owing to favourable weather, low pest profile and good technology transfer to farmers.

Cotton consumption by the mills increased by 9.28% from 19.4 million bales in 2004-05 to 21.3 million bales in 2005-06.

About 3.25 million bales were exported last year mainly to China, Bangladesh and Pakistan. With increase in production, exports may be up to 4.25 million bales in the cotton season that began in August.

Some of the favourable factors in Indian cotton production were improved yields, increasing quality awareness among farmers and industry and better acceptability of Indian cotton in the world market, says J Thulasidharan, chairman of CD&RA and managing director of the Rajratna Mills Ltd, Coimbatore.

He told the association’s 31st annual general meeting in Coimbatore that SIMA CD&RA has set out the vision to enhance productivity and production of cotton to 35 million bales, to improve quality of cotton to match international growth, to reduce the cost of cotton cultivation and make it profitable and to prevent shifting of cotton areas to other cash crops.

The area under cotton was 88.17 lakh hectares in 2005-06 against 89.20 lakh ha in the previous year. It was in 2004-05 that the cotton yield increased to 463 kg/ha. The earlier average had been 310kg/ha.

Agencies like the US Department of Agriculture has pointed out that the rising cultivation of Bt Cotton as the reason for the yield increase.

However, farmers and industry players say that Bt cotton is only one of the reasons. Bt cotton made just 13% (1.62 million hectares) of the total area under cotton cultivation in 2005-06. The total production was estimated to be around 60 lakh bales (23%). During the current year about one million farmers are reported to have grown Bt cotton.

The area under Bt cotton has increased, but it is being cultivated to tackle bollworms and cut farmers costs on pesticides, and not necessarily to increase yield.

Thulasidharan said cotton production was up mainly because of the extension activities of the government and industry and the various steps taken through the technology mission on cotton (TCM).


Courtesy : The Financial Express