**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1436 regarding the annual cotton production capacity in India, to be answered on December 9th, 2025. It details cotton production, steps to uplift cotton farmers, funds released for cotton projects, details of High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing Planting System implementations, and assessment of project interventions to improve cotton productivity. There are no key deadlines or action items directly mentioned in the document other than the retrospective actions and data provided.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Cotton Production Details:**
* State-wise cotton production data for the last 5 years (2020-21 to 2024-25) is provided in the Annexure.
* **Government Steps to Uplift Cotton Farmers:**
* A Special Project on Cotton was implemented during 2023-24 and 2024-25, extended to 2025-26, for demonstrations of best practices across 60 districts in 8 major cotton-growing states.
* 503 training programs were conducted from 2023 to 2025, benefiting 36,319 farmers with HDPS, closer spacing, and ELS cotton technologies.
* Insect Resistance Management - Pink Boll Worm project has been carried out since 2018 in collaboration with 10 State Agricultural Universities.
* Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) are conducted in three forms: Integrated Crop Management, Desi/ELS cotton/Seed Cotton production, and intercropping in 11 cotton-growing states.
* The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts training programs on Integrated Crop Management in cotton. 166 training programmes were conducted, and 11,887 tribal farmers in rural areas are being trained.
* ICAR-CICR, Nagpur issues weekly advisories and voice messages to State Agricultural Departments and registered cotton farmers.
* Minimum Support Prices (MSP) are fixed annually, with a 50% margin over the cost of production.
* The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) ensures MSP implementation through procurement centers.
* **Funds Released for Cotton Projects:**
* Details of funds released under the Special Project on Cotton under NFSM at ICAR-CICR, Nagpur, for the years 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26, are specified.
* Details of funds released under NFSNM-Cotton (Central Share) to the State of Maharashtra for the years 2020-21 to 2024-25 are specified.
* **Implementation of HDPS and Closer Spacing Planting System:**
* Details of districts and clusters under the Special Project on Cotton, including HDPS and closer spacing, are provided.
* **Assessment of Project Interventions:**
* Monitoring of the Special Project was conducted by various officials.
* Yield increases were recorded for HDPS, closer spacing, and Extra Long Staple cotton demonstration plots compared to conventional plots during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 cropping seasons.
**Impact Analysis**
**Cotton Farmers**
* **Impact:** Benefit from training programs, technology dissemination, MSP, and procurement centers, leading to improved productivity and income.
* **Action Required:** Participate in available training programs, adopt recommended technologies, and utilize MSP and procurement facilities.
**State Agricultural Departments and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs)**
* **Impact:** Receive weekly advisories to address contingency measures for cotton farmers.
* **Action Required:** Disseminate information to cotton farmers effectively.
**ICAR-CICR, Nagpur**
* **Impact:** Responsible for monitoring the Special Project.
* **Action Required:** Continue to monitor the project and provide updates.
**Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing MSP.
* **Action Required:** Ensure adequate procurement centers are opened and farmers' interests are safeguarded.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security Mission (NFSM): A Central Scheme focused on enhancing agricultural productivity and food security, with a component for cotton.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The primary governing body responsible for agriculture and farmer welfare policies and programs, including the subject matter of the question.
Maharashtra: A key cotton-producing state specifically mentioned regarding production capacity, fund allocation under NFSM, and implementation of High Density Planting System (HDPS).
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An apex body for coordinating agricultural research and education in India, responsible for conducting training programs and issuing advisories related to cotton cultivation.
Cotton Corporation of India (CCI): An entity under the Ministry of Textiles, responsible for safeguarding the interests of cotton farmers through procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1436
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 09TH DECEMBER, 2025
ANNUAL COTTON PRODUCTION CAPACITY
1436. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the details of annual cotton production capacity in the country, State-wise including
Maharashtra;
(b) the effective steps taken by the Government to uplift cotton farmers in the last five
years;
(c) the details of funds released to Maharashtra for cotton-specific projects under the
National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in the last five years and the current year;
(d) the details of clusters, specifically in Maharashtra, where the High Density Planting
System (HDPS) and Closer Spacing Planting System for cotton have been successfully
implemented; and
(e) whether the Government has conducted assessment of the specific project to
evaluate the improvement in cotton productivity through project interventions and if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a): The details of cotton production in the country during last 5 years i.e. 2020-21 to
2024-25, State-wise including Maharashtra, are given at Annexure.
(b): In last five years, the Government of India has undertaken following steps to uplift
cotton farmers:
i. During 2023-24 and 2024-25, a Special Project on Cotton was implemented for
large-scale demonstrations of best practices to enhance cotton productivity under the
Central Scheme of National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)(erstwhile
NFSM). The project has been extended for the third year 2025-26 to a target area of 14800
ha in 60 districts across 8 major cotton-growing states. For the dissemination of cotton
technologies in rural and backward areas, under the Special Project on Cotton, a total of
503 trainings (from the year 2023 to 2025) were organized, benefiting 36,319 farmers with
High Density Planting System (HDPS), closer spacing technologies and ELS (Extra Long
Staple) cotton technologies.ii. Since 2018, a centrally sponsored Insect Resistance Management - Pink Boll
Worm project is being carried out in collaboration with 10 State Agricultural Universities in
105 villages across 21 districts in 10 major cotton-growing states (1050 acres annually) to
control pink boll-worm infestation.
iii. Additionally, Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) are taken up in three forms i.e.
Integrated Crop Management, Desi/ELS cotton/Seed Cotton production, and intercropping
in cotton in 11 cotton growing states. During 2024-25, 302 SC/ST farmers, 519 OBC
farmers and 134 farmwomen benefited from this program.
iv. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is conducting training programs to
farmers of various states on “Integrated Crop Management in cotton” in collaboration with
respective State Department of Agriculture under Agricultural Technology Management
Agency (ATMA) program. Under the institutes’ SCSP (Scheduled Caste Sub Plan) and
TSP (Tribal Sub-Plan) programs, 166 training programmes were conducted and 11,887
tribal farmers in rural areas are being trained.
v. ICAR- Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur issues real-time weekly
advisories to officials of State Agricultural Departments and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs)
and voice messages (e-communication) to the registered cotton farmers to address
contingency measures to mitigate the abiotic stresses- heat, drought, excess rainfall and
pest & disease situation through 35 weekly advisories and 19,25,232 voice SMS.
Further, every year, Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to provide
remunerative prices to cotton farmers, protecting them from distress sales when market
prices fall below the MSP. The MSP is fixed at least 50 percent margin over the cost of
production. The rise in inputs cost is accounted in the cost of production calculations. For
cotton season 2025-26, the Government has fixed the MSP of Fair Average Quality (FAQ)
for Medium Staple Cotton at ₹7710 per Quintal and Long Staple Cotton at ₹8110 per
Quintal, respectively by raising ₹589 per quintal over the last year 2024-25.
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), under the Ministry of Textiles, safeguards the
interests of cotton farmers by opening adequate procurement centres, where its officials
remain present throughout the cotton season to ensure the implementation of Minimum
Support Price (MSP). There are no fixed targets or quantity restrictions for cotton
procurement under MSP operations. However, the farmers have the liberty to sell their
produce either to CCI or private parties. In 2025-26 cotton season, the CCI has opened 570
procurement centers across 149 districts in 11 cotton-producing states. As per information
made available by CCI, as on 02.12.2025, CCI has procured 17,28,866 bales under MSP
operations during the current cotton season 2025-26.
(c): The details of the funds released for the Special Project on Cotton under NFSM at
ICAR- CICR, Nagpur are as under:
Year Total funds (₹)
2023-24 20,93,42,000
2024-25 25,48,94,000
2025-26 15,08,08,750Further, during the last five years, i.e. 2020-21 to 2024-25, the details of funds
released under NFSNM-Cotton (Central Share) to the State of Maharashtra are as under:
Year Total funds (Rs. in Crore)
2020-21 1.2500
2021-22 1.4000
2022-23 1.3150
2023-24 3.0250
2024-25 3.0811
(d): The details of districts and clusters under Special Project on Cotton are as under:
Year All India Maharashtra HDPS in Maharashtra Closer Spacing (CS)
in Maharashtra
Districts Clusters Districts Clusters Districts Clusters Districts Clusters
2023-24 61 373 16 74 9 40 16 66
2024-25 65 461 16 115 11 62 15 105
2025-26 65 412 17 121 10 60 15 106
(e): Monitoring of Special Project to evaluate improvements in cotton productivity was
done by Director, ICAR-CICR; Director, Directorate of Cotton Development (DCD); Chief
Nodal Scientist (Special Project); State Nodal Officers; and District Nodal Officers during the
last 3 years. Additional Secretary (Crops & Seeds), Government of India monitored Special
Project in Nagpur district of Maharashtra during 23rd December 2024.
The improvement of the cotton productivity was recorded during the year 2023-24
cropping season as-
(i) Average yield in HDPS demonstration plot was 8.68 q/acre while conventional plots
recorded 6.60 q/acre. This led to increase of 30.40% over conventional practice.
(ii) In Closer Spacing demonstration plot, the average yield was 9.91 q/acre while in
conventional plots yield was 7.71 q/acre i.e. an increase of 39.15% over conventional
practice.
(iii) In Extra Long Staple cotton demonstration plot, the average yield was 6.11 q/acre
whereas in conventional plots it was 5.73 q/acre with an increase of 6.81 % over
conventional practice.
Similarly, In 2024-25 cropping season-
(i) The average yield in HDPS demonstration plot was 11.46 q/acre while in
conventional plots was 8.19 q/acre with 39.81% increase over conventional practice.
(ii) In closer spacing demonstration plot, the average yield was 10.91 q/acre while in
conventional plots was 8.24 q/acre with 32.45% increase over conventional practice.
(iii) In Extra Long Staple cotton demonstration plot, the average yield was 8.04 q/acre
whereas in conventional plots yield was 6.76 q/acre with 18.91 % increase over
conventional practice.Annexure
State-wise Production of Cotton
Production (Thousand bales, each bale of 170 Kg.)
State
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Andhra Pradesh 1600.55 1707.62 1540.52 737.26 1131.20
Assam 0.39 0.38 0.51 0.51 0.30
Chhattisgarh 8.40 7.53 9.44 12.69 11.33
Gujarat 7212.18 7509.34 8795.33 9056.99 7156.80
Haryana 1822.90 1316.06 1000.50 1508.76 1176.63
Karnataka 2320.12 1954.60 2567.88 2058.55 2273.29
Kerala 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.05 0.03
Madhya Pradesh 1338.56 1419.76 1433.25 1801.06 1535.19
Maharashtra 10105.05 8249.24 8315.67 8045.49 7372.86
Odisha 550.99 625.91 704.92 704.92 822.54
Punjab 1022.68 645.99 443.63 628.82 414.21
Rajasthan 3207.59 2480.99 2774.47 2621.66 1786.22
Tamil Nadu 243.21 301.91 319.02 251.83 210.74
Telangana 5797.91 4878.06 5744.62 5079.71 5788.73
Tripura 0.94 0.81 0.36 0.36 0.49
Uttar Pradesh 6.46 8.61 6.74 9.11 39.53
West Bengal 0.87 0.25 0.40 0.37 0.40
Others 9.52 10.51 2.91 3.88 3.69
All India 35248.35 31117.59 33660.19 32522.02 29724.18
*****