Gujarat top cotton producer state in India for last 2 years
State accounted for nearly 30% of India’s total cotton textile export last year
BILKULONLINE
Ahmedabad, Dec 16: Gujarat has been No.1 state in terms of cotton production in the country in the last two years. The state produced 87.95 lakh bales and 90.57 lakh bales of cotton in 2022-23 (Oct to Sept) and 2023-24 (Oct to Sept) respectively as against India’s total production of 336.60 lakh bales and 325.22 lakh bales in the corresponding periods.
Moreover, Gujarat accounted for nearly 30% of India’s total cotton textile export in 2023-24. The information was provided by Union Minister of State for Textile Shri Pabitra Margherita in the Rajya Sabha on December 13, 2024 while replying to questions asked by RS MP Shri Parimal Nathwani.
According to the statement of the minister, India’s Total Cotton Textile Export (including Cotton Fabrics Made-ups Etc. Cotton Raw Including Waste, Cotton Yarn, Other Textile Yarns, Fabric Made-ups Articles), in the last two years stood at US$ 11,085 million and $12,258 million in 2022-23 and 2023-24, while Gujarat’s Total Cotton Textile Export stood at $2,835 million and $3,615 million during the same periods.
Nathwani wanted to know about the total production and exports of Cotton from the ountry, steps taken by the Government to increase the exports of cotton from the country; and steps taken by Government to promote research work in the field of cotton production.
According to the minister’s statement, in order to boost export of textiles products, Central Government is implementing scheme for Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) on exports of Apparel/Garments and Made-ups. Further, textiles products not covered under the ROSCTL are covered under Remissions of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) along with other products, elaborated the minister. India has also signed 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and 6 Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with various trading partners, which would ease access to global markets in the integrated cotton textile value chain.
As per Minister’s statement, a premium Indian cotton brand i.e. Kasturi Cotton Bharat available in 29 mm and 30 mm long-staple varieties is developed through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Textiles and the industry under a public-private partnership. Till date, 464 units have joined the initiative. As of October 30, 2024, 47,600 bales have been certified under the Kasturi Cotton label. The ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, has released 333 cotton varieties including 191 non-Bt and 142 Bt cotton varieties over the past decade.
Other initiatives are also taken by ICAR-CICR are Voluntary Carbon Market Project, Genome Editing, Transgenic Research, HDPS Technology Scaling, Breeding for Resistance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions to improve cotton production and sustainability in India.
