Cotton Production in India, Types, Distribution, Importance

Cotton production in India contributes highly to the Indian Economy. Cotton is the most important cash crop in India acting as the backbone of the textile industry and an important contributor to the agricultural economy. Its cultivation is spread across different agro-ecological zones, in varied climatic conditions and fertile soils. In this article, we are going to cover cotton production in India, its types, its production and distribution and the importance of cotton production.

Cotton Production in India

There are four types of cotton commercially grown in India. These include: 

• Gossypium arboreum – Asian Cotton
• Gossypium herbaceum – Asian Cotton
• Gossypium barbadense – Egyptian Cotton (fine quality)
• Gossypium hirsutum – American Upland Cotton (dominant variety in India) 

It is the most important fibre crop and has many by-products. The seeds are used in the vanaspati industry for oil extraction and serve as fodder for milch cattle.

Cotton Types

There are many types of cotton grown in India and these classifications are based on fibre length, strength and quality:

1. Long-Staple Cotton
   • Fibre length: 24–27 mm
   • Fine, lustrous fibre used for superior-quality cloth, fetching the highest prices.
   • Accounts for nearly 50% of total production in India.
   • Major states: Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
2. Medium-Staple Cotton
   • Fibre length: 20–24 mm
   • Accounts for about 44% of total production.
   • Primary producers: Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
3. Short-Staple Cotton
   • Fibre length: Less than 20 mm
   • Inferior quality, used for coarse cloth and fetches low market prices.
   • It makes up only 6% of total production, grown in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab.

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Cotton Cultivation Growing Requirements 

Cotton requires the following conditions for its growth:

• Climate: Cotton is a tropical and subtropical crop that requires warm conditions and the ideal temperature ranges in between 21°C to 30°C. It needs 210 frost-free days annually, as frost is highly damaging.
• Rainfall: The crop requires 50–100 cm of rainfall, ideally well-distributed. Initial rainfall aids seed germination, while dry, sunny conditions during ripening are crucial to avoid pest attacks.
• Soil: Cotton grows best in deep black soils (regur) of the Deccan Plateau, Malwa Plateau, and Gujarat. It also grows well in the alluvial soils of North India and red and lateritic soils in the South. However, it depletes soil fertility rapidly.
• Labour Requirement: Since cotton picking is not mechanized in India, large numbers of cheap and efficient labourers are essential. The picking season typically extends over three months.

Cotton Growing Season in India

Cotton is a Kharif crop that requires 6–8 months to mature. The sowing and harvesting time vary across regions:

Cotton Cultivation Distribution 

Cotton is cultivated in three different agro-ecological zones in India: 

• Northern Zone: Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan
• Central Zone: Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh
• Southern Zone: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka
• Gujarat is the leading producer due to favourable black soil and rainfall.
• Telangana ranks second, followed by Maharashtra.
• India also exports inferior-quality cotton while importing superior long-staple cotton from the USA, Russia, Sudan, and Kenya.

Cotton Production in India

• During 2020–21, India produced 371 lakh bales, marking a threefold increase in two decades due to genetically modified (GM) seeds and better technologies.
• India has the largest area under cotton cultivation globally but lags in productivity, which remains about one-third of that in other major cotton-producing countries.
• Factors affecting productivity include pest infestations, dependence on rainfed agriculture, and poor soil fertility.

Cotton Growth Unfavourable Factors

Cotton cannot grow in the following conditions: 

• Temperatures below 20°C and frost conditions are highly detrimental.
• Excessive rainfall during boll-opening damages fibres and promotes pests.
• About 65% of cotton area is rainfed, making it vulnerable to erratic rainfall.
• Severe pest and disease attacks, particularly by bollworms, reduce yields significantly.

Bt Cotton in India 

• Introduced in 2002, Bt cotton hybrids dominate Indian fields, covering over 95% of total cotton area.
• Bt cotton carries a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis that produces a toxin effective against bollworms.
• While initially boosting yields, Bt cotton has faced challenges:
  • Limited effectiveness, as cotton is susceptible to over 100 different pests.
  • Declining productivity due to the emergence of secondary pests.
  • Risk of bollworms developing resistance, as witnessed in China.
• Maharashtra has the largest Bt cotton area, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.

Cotton Production in India Importance 

Cotton Production in India has the following importance: 

• Cotton is an important cash crop that helps sustain millions of farmers. 
• The crop provides the primary raw material for India’s textile industry. 
• India is the largest cotton producer in the world and also an important exporter. 
• The cotton production helps create employment opportunities by supporting jobs in farming, textile manufacturing and trade. 
• Deeply rooted in India’s history, symbolizing traditional crafts and clothing.