The Decline in Cotton Exports | 07 Sep 2019

According to the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council the cotton yarn exports declined by 44% in July 2019, compared with the same month in 2018.

  • According to it, Cotton yarn exports are at a five-year low.
  • Along with this India’s share in global textile and clothing exports has also seen a downfall.
  • While India was the second-largest exporter of textile and clothing in 2014-2017, it has come down to the fifth position in 2019.

Cotton Cultivation

  • India is believed to be the original home of the cotton plant. Cotton is one of the main raw materials for the cotton textile industry.
  • Cotton grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.
  • It is a Kharif crop (grown with the onset of monsoon and harvested in September-October) and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
  • Major cotton-producing states are– Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Conditions required for the cultivation of cotton are:

Temperature

  • Cotton grows in the tropical and sub-tropical warm humid climate. Annual temperature requirement is 20°-28°C. Equitable temperature distribution and bright sunshine is desirable.

Rainfall

  • Annual rainfall of 55-100 cm is ideal for cotton Cultivation.
  • However, the Rainfall during harvesting is harmful.

Frost-free Days

  • About 180 frost-free days are the minimum requirement for cotton cultivation. While, 200 frost-free days are desirable for cotton cultivation.

Soil

  • Fertile, saline soil with high water-retention capacity is ideal for cotton cultivation. Loamy soil with high calcium carbonate is best for cotton cultivation.

Relief

  • The slight slope of the land drains the soil and is good for cotton cultivation.

Source: TH