Indian 2014-15 cotton output forecast at 40.5mn bales

01 Dec '14

2 min read

According to an Indian apex cotton trade body, cotton output in the current season in the country is estimated at 40.55 million bales (of 170 kg each) as against 40.72 million bales in the previous season.

At a Cotton Association of India (CAI) hosted conference in Mumbai, CAI president Dhiren Sheth said cotton production which stood at 15.80 million bales in 2001-02 will touch 40.55 million bales in the 2014-15 season.

The Indian cotton industry has made rapid strides in several areas like productivity, production, acreage, export and consumption, he said.

Sheth added, “Indian acreage under cotton has risen to 12.65 million hectares in the current season, with India holding the distinction of having a 37 per cent share of the world's total cotton acreage.”

Sheth noted that despite the sector notching up a number of achievements, there are several issues specifically which needs serious attention.

Cotton yields have now saturated after witnessing marked improvements mainly from adoption of GM technology and encouraging Government policies, but are still far below world averages.

In his opinion, hiking irrigation facilities and adoption of scientific innovations and modern technologies like Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex, may provide the thrust to hike productivity further.

According to him, the priority is also to build a huge infrastructure to process the crop size of over 40 million bales.

The ‘Technology Mission on Cotton’ initiated several years back by the government needs immediate follow up, to cope up with the increase in crop size over the last few years, he informed. (AR)

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