Centre Charts Roadmap To Double Cotton Productivity At Nagpur Chintan Shivir
To strengthen India’s cotton value chain, the Ministry of Textiles convened a high-level Chintan Shivir in Nagpur under the theme A Strategic Framework for Doubling Cotton Productivity and Augmenting Quality Fibre. The forum brought together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders and agri-experts to outline a future-ready roadmap for productivity enhancement, fibre quality improvement and global competitiveness.
Addressing the gathering, Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, stressed that the sector must move beyond deliberations to execution, anchored in the four pillars of Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform. She highlighted that building a resilient cotton ecosystem will require systemic innovation across the farm-to-fibre continuum.
Rao highlighted that productivity gains can be accelerated through expanded adoption of drip irrigation, strengthened extension services, targeted farmer advisories and district-level soil mapping to guide crop selection. She also called for increased innovation and competition in the seed ecosystem, alongside region-specific Cotton Calendars to standardize agronomic practices.
Echoing the need for a coordinated approach, Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Fibre), emphasized integrated value chain interventions to simultaneously improve yields, fibre quality and farmer incomes. She noted that collaborative policymaking will be critical to addressing structural challenges and unlocking growth opportunities.
The Shivir was structured around four thematic pillars shaping the future of India’s cotton sector. Discussions on farmer prosperity focused on high-density planting systems, mechanisation, AI-led pest monitoring and digital advisory platforms. The precision ginning segment stressed modernisation, contamination control and traceability to meet global quality benchmarks. Sustainability deliberations centred on climate-resilient practices and circular textile models aligned with evolving global standards. Meanwhile, strategic conversations around Kasturi Cotton Bharat reinforced the need for robust certification, traceability and branding to position India as a supplier of premium cotton.
In her concluding remarks, Rao reiterated the importance of leveraging technology, data-driven decision-making and innovation to enhance productivity and value realisation across the cotton ecosystem. She called for sustained collaboration between government bodies, research institutions, industry stakeholders and farmers to future-proof the sector.
The initiative aligns with the broader vision of Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, and the Prime Minister’s 5F framework spanning Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Fabric, Fabric to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign, aimed at strengthening India’s position as a global textile powerhouse.
