**Executive Summary**
This document outlines initiatives by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare aimed at enhancing cotton productivity and supporting banana cultivation in Maharashtra. Key programs include the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) for cotton and the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for banana. The initiatives aim to increase production, transfer technology, and improve infrastructure. The information was provided in response to questions in the Rajya Sabha.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Cotton Productivity Enhancement**
* **National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM):** Implemented from 2014-15 to boost cotton production and productivity in 15 major cotton-growing states, including Maharashtra. For 2025-26, the scheme covers 13 districts in Maharashtra, with Rs. 104.14 crore released for all crops including cotton.
* **Special Project on Cotton:** A project by ICAR-CICR, Nagpur, focuses on large-scale demonstrations of best practices in agro-ecological zones to enhance cotton productivity. This project, running from 2023-24, has an allocation of Rs. 6032.35 lakh for 2025-26 across 10 states, including Maharashtra.
* **Demonstrated Technologies:** High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing (CS) technologies were demonstrated in 10 and 15 districts of Maharashtra respectively during 2025-26 under the special project.
* **Yield Increases:** In 2023-24, HDPS demonstration plots showed an average yield increase of 30.40%, and CS demonstrations showed a 39.15% increase over conventional practices. In 2024-25, HDPS plots saw a 39.81% increase, and CS plots a 32.45% increase.
**Banana Cluster Development**
* **Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH):** A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented since 2014-15 for holistic growth of the horticulture sector, including banana. Maharashtra is covered under this scheme.
* **Area Expansion Component:** For establishing new banana orchards using tissue culture plants, the project cost is Rs. 1.57 lakh per hectare in Maharashtra. A 40% subsidy (Rs. 0.63 lakh) is provided for up to 2.00 hectares per beneficiary.
* **Banana Cluster Development Programme (Jalgaon):** Implemented by the Maharashtra State Horticulture and Medicinal Plants Board to improve production, post-harvest infrastructure, processing, and export of bananas from Jalgaon district.
* **Cluster Grant Allocation:** Rs. 199.99 crore has been approved as a cluster grant for the banana crop in Jalgaon district.
**Cotton Procurement**
* **Cotton Corporation of India (CCI):** The central nodal agency for Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations for cotton.
* **Expanded Procurement Network:** CCI, in coordination with the Ministry of Textiles, liberalized norms for opening procurement centers, expanding the network to 168 centers across 21 districts in Maharashtra for 2025-26 (up from 128 in 2024-25).
* **Procurement Data (as on 05.03.2026):** Approximately 130 lakh quintals of seed cotton (valued at Rs. 10,400 crore) were procured from 5.84 lakh farmers in Maharashtra.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers in Maharashtra**
* **Impact:** Direct beneficiaries of enhanced cotton productivity through technology transfer, demonstrations, and increased MSP procurement centers. Also benefit from subsidies for banana cultivation and support for the banana cluster development program.
* **Action Required:** Participate in demonstrations, adopt HDPS and CS technologies for cotton, and utilize available subsidies and support programs for banana cultivation.
**Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for increased procurement of cotton due to liberalized norms and expanded network.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing MSP operations and managing the expanded procurement network effectively.
**Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare & Ministry of Textiles**
* **Impact:** Overseeing and implementing programs aimed at improving agricultural productivity and farmer income in Maharashtra.
* **Action Required:** Continue monitoring and supporting the implementation of these initiatives and programs.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM): A program implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to increase cotton production and productivity.
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): A centrally sponsored scheme aimed at the holistic growth of the horticulture sector, including banana cultivation.
Banana Cluster Development Programme: A program implemented in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, to improve banana production, post-harvest infrastructure, processing, and export.
Ministry of Textiles: Oversees the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) which acts as the central nodal agency for Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations of cotton.
Maharashtra: The central location where the cotton and banana initiatives are being implemented and benefiting farmers.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Cotton Productivity Enhancement and Banana
Cluster Development Initiatives benefit Farmers
in Maharashtra
Posted On: 13 MAR 2026 10:15PM by PIB Mumbai
: Mumbai, 13th March 2026
The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing the cotton development programme under the National Food
Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) in 15 major cotton growing states including Maharashtra from 2014-15 to increase
production and productivity of cotton. The scheme is being implemented in 13 districts of Maharashtra during 2025-26. An
amount of Rs. 104.14 crore has been released to the State for all crops including cotton under NFSNM for 2025-26. Under the
programme, thrust has been given on transfer of technology through demonstrations and training, thereby benefitting farmers.
A special project on cotton entitled ‘Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones – large scale demonstrations of best
practices to enhance cotton productivity’ of ICAR–Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, is being implemented
in major cotton growing states including Maharashtra under NFSNM from 2023-24 to enhance productivity of cotton. An
amount of Rs. 6032.35 lakh has been allocated for the special project on cotton during 2025-26 covering 10 major cotton
growing states including Maharashtra. Under the project, High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing (CS)
technologies have been demonstrated in 10 districts and 15 districts respectively in Maharashtra during 2025-26.
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) under the Ministry of Textiles is the central nodal agency for undertaking Minimum
Support Price (MSP) operations of cotton in the country including the State of Maharashtra. CCI, in coordination with the
Ministry of Textiles, has liberalised the norms for opening procurement centres. As a result, the MSP procurement network in
the State expanded to 168 centres, compared to 128 centres during 2024–25, across 21 districts under its Branch Offices at
Akola and Aurangabad. As on 05.03.2026, CCI has procured about 130 lakh quintals of seed cotton (equivalent to 26.13 lakh
bales) valued at approximately Rs. 10,400 crore, through 5.84 lakh transactions of farmers in the State of Maharashtra.
The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, is being implemented from
2014-15 for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector including banana. All States and Union Territories including
Maharashtra are covered under the MIDH scheme. Under the MIDH area expansion component for establishment of new
orchards using tissue culture plants, in Maharashtra the project cost for banana cultivation through planting material is Rs. 1.57
lakh, out of which 40% subsidy (Rs. 0.63 lakh) is provided for an area up to 2.00 hectares per beneficiary.
Banana is an important crop in Jalgaon district and is cultivated in approximately 65,000 to 70,000 hectares, including in
Bhusawal Tahsil. The Banana Cluster Development Programme is being implemented by the Maharashtra State Horticulture
and Medicinal Plants Board with the aim of improving production, post-harvest infrastructure, processing and export of
bananas from the region. Under this programme, a cluster grant allocation of Rs. 199.99 crore has been approved for the
banana crop cluster in Jalgaon district.
Assessment of improvement in cotton productivity under the special project has also been undertaken. In 2023-24, the average
increase in yield in HDPS demonstration plots was 30.40% over conventional farmers’ practices, while in Closer Spacing
demonstrations the average increase was 39.15%. In 2024-25, the average increase in yield in HDPS demonstration plots was
39.81%, while in Closer Spacing demonstrations the average increase in yield was 32.45% over conventional farmers’
practices.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, in a reply
to questions in the Rajya Sabha.
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