National Current Affairs
Cabinet Approves “Mission for Cotton Productivity”
- 06 May 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
The Union Cabinet has approved the Mission for Cotton Productivity (MCP) with a total outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore to be implemented till 2030–31. The mission aims to achieve self-sufficiency in cotton production and enhance India’s competitiveness in global textile markets.
Key Points
- Objectives of the Mission: Enhance cotton yield through improved seeds and scientific practices.
- Ensure Self-Sufficiency: Reduce dependence on imports of extra-long staple (ELS) cotton.
- Boost Farmer Income: Improve profitability of cotton farmers.
- Enhance Export Competitiveness: Strengthen India’s position in global textile value chains by 2030–31.
- Research & Development: Development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and pest-resistant cotton varieties through institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
- Technology Adoption: Promotion of modern agronomic practices, precision farming, and mechanization.
- Pest Management: Focus on integrated pest management (IPM) to tackle issues like pink bollworm infestation.
- Quality Improvement: Emphasis on better fiber quality to meet global textile standards.
- Cluster-Based Approach: Targeted interventions in major cotton-growing regions for maximum impact.
- Challenges: India is one of the largest producers and consumers of cotton globally. However, productivity remains relatively low (around 450–500 kg lint/ha) compared to global leaders like Brazil and China.
- Problems: Issues such as pest attacks (notably pink bollworm), climate variability, and stagnation in yield have affected output.
