India changes its cotton cultivation strategy: emphasis on increasing yield

India, possessing the world's largest cotton crop area, has been facing stagnant yields in recent years. According to official data, indicators varied from 428 to 443 kg per hectare during the period from the 2022 to 2026 financial years, which is significantly lower than the global average of 833 kg per hectare. In this regard, the state strategy is shifting its focus from crop protection against pests, such as whitefly and pink bollworm, to increasing crop productivity.

The "Kapas Kanti" mission is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Agriculture. The program provides for a phased increase in yield by at least 50 kg per hectare annually. By the 2031 financial year, the government plans to increase cotton production to 49.8 million bales (one bale equals 170 kg), which should cover the projected consumption of 45 million bales.

Key instruments of the mission include training farmers in high-density planting methods, introducing advanced agricultural technologies, and ensuring access to seed of high-yielding cultivars. These measures are intended to solve the problem of the country's growing dependence on imports, which reached 1.86 billion dollars in the 2026 financial year, as well as to compensate for the reduction in cultivated areas observed since 2022.

Industry representatives note that increasing productivity is critical for the competitiveness of the Indian textile industry, which is striving for growth in export performance. In particular, farmers emphasize the need for government support in terms of revising minimum purchase prices, taking into account cultivation costs, and ensuring access to mechanized means of harvesting, which is especially relevant in the context of labor shortages.