Agriculture · GS3
Mission for Cotton Productivity
One line
The Cabinet approved a ₹5,659.22 crore mission for cotton productivity from 2026-27 to 2030-31, covering seed, cultivation, quality, testing, traceability, and markets.
Summary
Cotton policy is not only about yield. It also affects fibre quality, ginning, textile competitiveness, farm risk, and water use. The mission combines climate-resilient and pest-resistant seeds, high-density planting, testing, Kasturi Cotton Bharat branding, and digital market access.
PYQ pattern
UPSC agriculture questions often connect a cash crop to technology, water, markets, and farmer income. Use the official UPSC archive and avoid treating productivity as yield alone.
Core notes
- High-density planting changes plant population and spacing. Its success depends on variety, water, soil, machinery, and local practice.
- Extra Long Staple cotton attracts a premium but needs suitable varieties and quality control.
- Traceability can connect fibre quality with production and processing stages. It does not itself guarantee a premium price.
- Cotton productivity should be assessed with water use, pesticide exposure, farmer returns, fibre quality, and regional suitability.
Prelims lens
- The mission's period is 2026-27 to 2030-31.
- Ginning separates cotton fibre from seed. It is different from spinning, weaving, or garmenting.
- Kasturi Cotton Bharat concerns branding and traceability of Indian cotton.
MCQ 1
The Mission for Cotton Productivity includes:
- Climate-resilient and pest-resistant seeds.
- Modernisation of ginning and processing facilities.
- Cotton testing infrastructure.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answerHide answer
D
The mission covers production, processing, testing, traceability, and market-related measures.
MCQ 2
Ginning is the process of:
- A. separating cotton fibre from cotton seed
- B. converting yarn into garments
- C. extracting crude oil from cotton
- D. measuring rainfall in cotton districts
Reveal answerHide answer
A
Ginning separates lint from seed. Spinning and weaving occur later in the textile chain.
Mains
Question, 10 marks, 150 words: Raising cotton productivity requires value-chain reform, not only higher-yielding varieties. Discuss.
Approach:
- Explain cotton's farm-to-textile chain.
- Cover seed, agronomy, pest management, irrigation, ginning, testing, traceability, and markets.
- Discuss climate risk, water, pesticide use, smallholder constraints, and price realisation.
- Suggest region-specific extension, quality labs, transparent market information, and farmer organisations.