O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4364
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19TH AUGUST 2025
IMPACT OF ADOPTION OF BT COTTON
4364. Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav:
Shri Giridhari Yadav:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a)...
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4364 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19TH AUGUST 2025 IMPACT OF ADOPTION OF BT COTTON
4364. Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav:
Shri Giridhari Yadav:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that ten years ago our country used to export cotton and now importing the same;
(b) whether it is a fact that ever since the adoption of BT cotton instead of traditional cotton, our country's dependence on other countries for cotton has increased; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (c): Imports and exports are part of a balancing mechanism to address mismatches between domestic cotton supply and the requirements of the textile industry, which operates within the global textile market.
During the last 10 years, average import of cotton in India have been about 20 lakh bales which is about 6% of the average production of cotton in the country. Majority of imports is to meet specific requirement of either specialized cotton (ELS varieties like Giza, Supima, Australian cotton for value-added textile production) or back to back arrangements by the industry with brands.
As per the Cotton Corporation of India, Ministry of Textiles, during cotton season 2014-15, production of cotton was 386 lakh bales, consumption 309.44 lakh bales, import
14.39 lakh bales and export 57.72 lakh bales, whereas in the cotton season 2024-25, production of cotton is estimated to be 294.25 lakh bales, consumption 318 lakh bales, import 25 lakh bales and export 18 lakh bales. This indicates that in cotton season 2024- 25, domestic consumption has exceeded production, which is one of the factors driving higher imports and resulting in a lower export of cotton from India.
There is no substantive data available with this Ministry to indicate that the adoption of Bt cotton has led to increase in the country’s dependence on imported cotton. . *****