‘Cotton production expected to be good next season’

Cotton production during the next season that will start in October is expected to be good, said J. Thulasidharan, president of the Indian Cotton Federation (ICF).

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Federation in Coimbatore on Sunday, Mr. Thulasidharan said the area covered under cotton is estimated to be 11.85 million ha. If the average yield is the same as last year, production will be less. But, field reports indicate that some tracts in Gujarat and Maharashtra had excess rain that damaged the crop. But, the rains were adequate and the damages are negligible.

According to feedback from the block levels, the volume of cotton crop will be more than the current season and is expected to be 330 lakh to 340 lakh bales, he said.

“Raw material security with cheaper interest rated finance is a must. A State-wide analysis supports higher yield with supportive climatic conditions. Already the weather is plant-friendly and early sown crop harvesting is progressing and small lots arrivals have begun. Except for moisture, the quality is good. Experts view that spiralling of prices is ruled out,” he said.

Nishanth A. Asher, secretary of the Federation, said that in the recent years, sustainability has become more than a buzz word. The ICF will continue to focus on efforts to promote sustainable cotton.

“We must also engage with policy makers to address critical issues such as price volatility, supply chain bottlenecks and trade barriers. ITF will continue to advocate for policies that benefit industry, trade and the farmers,” he said.

“Raw material (cotton) prices today in India are higher than world’s prices because of the import duty. When the import duty is removed it will give a level playing field. We request the government to remove the import duty and rationalise it so the Indian textile industry can grow,” he said.

J. Thulasidharan was re-elected president of the Indian Cotton Federation for 2024-2025. P. Nataraj and Adhitya Krishna Pathy were re-elected vice-presidents, Nishanth A. Asher will continue as the secretary of the Federation, and Chetan H. Joshi will be the joint secretary.

Published - September 29, 2024 09:05 pm IST