Revolutionizing India’s Cotton Industry: Embracing Organic Fibre Production
In the pursuit of sustainability and environmental responsibility, India’s cotton industry finds itself at a pivotal moment. Dr Ajay Ranka, the Founder and CEO of Zydex Industries, presents a visionary plan to overhaul organic fibre production in the country. Through innovation of products and protocols for cotton farming and comprehensive sustainability practices, a bold vision emerges for a future where collaboration with user and farmers for organic farming flourishes, offering not just economic gains but also ecological benefits.
The narrative begins by acknowledging the challenges confronting conventional cotton farming, marked by excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides and water. These practices have degraded soil structure and biology, leading to diminishing yields and environmental contamination of nitrates through water seepage. The fashion and textile industry is concerned with water usage and pollution throughout its supply chain, soil degradation, depletion of water table, water pollution, all of which are set to worsen by 2050.
Organic (chemical free) cotton presents a promising alternative to conventional cotton farming practices, yet hurdles like lower yields and higher costs for organic cotton impede its widespread adoption. Recognizing the need for systemic change, there is a call for the entire value chain, from farming to processing, to embrace sustainability principles.
Zytonic is a new technology platform which can allow in a single crop transition from chemical to profitable chemical-free farming. It has innovated products for composting, soil fertility improvement, water stress reduction and crop protection with new micro encapsulation technology. These, when used as per “Sanjeevani Protocol”, allows high yields, low water consuming crops which are organic (chemical free).
Zydex has commissioned large-scale projects across 13 Indian states to realize this vision, showcasing tangible results with improved yields and profitability for hundreds of farmers. Through collaboration with industry stakeholders, a broader movement toward organic agriculture in India can be catalysed. It is also important to enable farmers to continue profitable organic farming for other crops at market prices.
In conclusion, a call to action is extended to all cotton industry stakeholders. From policymakers to industry leaders and consumers, there is a collective responsibility to drive change by creating demonstrative plots in every profitable growing area and support the transition to profitable organic farming. By aligning interests, forging partnerships and investing in sustainable solutions, India can emerge as a global leader in organic cotton production.
The vision for organic fibre production in India offers hope as we have best temperature, water (rains), sunlight and cheaper labour for a perfect ecosystem to be organic cotton leader, amidst global environmental challenges. By blending innovation with sustainability and fostering collaboration across the value chain, a path is charted toward a future where organic farming sustains livelihoods and nurtures the planet. As India embarks on this transformative journey, the seeds of change are planted by Zydex, heralding a new era of prosperity and harmony with nature. Many producer mills are partnering to showcase that the new “Prakalp Sanjeevani” is possible for the next three seasons.
