Ministry of Textile organises Chintan Shivir on “A Strategic Framework for Doubling Cotton Productivity and Augmenting Quality Fibre” at Nagpur
Ministry of Textile organises Chintan Shivir on “A Strategic Framework for Doubling Cotton Productivity and Augmenting Quality Fibre” at Nagpur
The Ministry of Textiles organised a Chintan Shivir titled “A Strategic Framework for Doubling Cotton Productivity and Augmenting Quality Fibre” at Nagpur today. The forum brought together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders and agricultural experts to deliberate on strategic interventions aimed at enhancing cotton productivity, improving fibre quality and strengthening India’s position in the global cotton value chain.
Addressing the gathering, Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles emphasized the importance of translating deliberations into concrete and actionable outcomes. She highlighted that the way forward for India’s cotton sector lies in advancing reforms and innovation across the entire value chain under the guiding pillars of Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform, with the objective of building a resilient and globally competitive cotton ecosystem.
The Secretary noted that significant gains in cotton productivity can be achieved through the expansion of drip irrigation, strengthening agricultural extension networks, improved farmer advisories and district-level soil mapping to guide farmers in selecting suitable cotton varieties. She also underscored the need for greater innovation and healthy competition in the cotton seed ecosystem, along with the development of region-specific Cotton Calendars to guide farmers on best agronomic practices.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Ministry of Textiles, highlighted that strengthening the cotton sector requires a coordinated and integrated approach across the entire value chain to enhance productivity, improve fibre quality and increase farmer incomes. She emphasized the importance of collective deliberation and collaborative policy action to address emerging challenges and unlock new opportunities for the sector.
The Chintan Shivir featured four thematic sessions, focusing on key dimensions of the cotton value chain:
Session 1: Prosperous Farmers – Doubling Productivity, Doubling Income, highlighted strategies such as soil-based crop planning, High Density Planting Systems (HDPS), farm mechanization, AI-based pest monitoring, and strengthened digital advisory systems to enhance productivity and farmer incomes.
Session 2: Precision Ginning and Quality Assurance, emphasized the adoption of modern ginning technologies, contamination control measures, improved fibre testing systems, and robust traceability mechanisms to deliver premium-quality cotton to global markets.
Session 3: Sustainability and Circularity, focused on climate-resilient agricultural practices, sustainable cotton production systems, circular textile economy models, and alignment with evolving global sustainability standards.
Session 4: Kasturi Cotton Bharat – positioning India as a Global Premium Brand, deliberated on strengthening traceability systems, quality certification frameworks, branding strategies, and global promotion of Kasturi Cotton Bharat as India’s premium cotton brand.
In her valedictory address, the Secretary (Textiles) emphasized the need to further strengthen the cotton ecosystem to make it more efficient, technology-driven and resilient to emerging challenges. She highlighted the importance of leveraging modern technologies, data-driven decision-making and innovative agricultural and industrial practices to enhance productivity, ensure superior fibre quality and improve value realization across the cotton sector.
She also called for sustained collaboration among state governments, research institutions, industry stakeholders and farmers to build a future-ready cotton ecosystem and reinforce India’s position as a leading global hub for cotton and textiles.
The Chintan Shivir concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen the cotton value chain under the guidance of the Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh, in alignment with the Prime Minister’s 5F vision — Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Fabric, Fabric to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign. The deliberations reaffirmed the collective resolve to advance farmer prosperity, sustainable cotton production, high-quality fibre and enhanced global competitiveness across the textile value chain.