Paper: GS – III, Subject: Economy, Topic: Agriculture, Issue: Cotton Productivity Mission.
Context:
The Cotton Productivity Mission has been recently introduced to revive India’s cotton productivity and strengthen the textile value chain. India has a large cotton-growing area, but its yield remains low compared to major cotton-producing countries. The core challenge is that older gains from Bt cotton have weakened as pests such as pink bollworm have evolved resistance.
Key Takeaways:
Explanation:
- Importance of Technology Investment:
- Cotton productivity depends heavily on improved seeds, biotechnology, pest resistance, irrigation, mechanisation and extension support.
- India’s early Bt cotton experience proves that technology can rapidly increase output and farmer income.
- Recent Cotton Productivity Mission:
- The mission aims to raise yield from around 441 kg/ha to about 755 kg/ha by 2031.
- It seeks to improve seed systems, agronomy, pest control and farmer-level productivity.
- Productivity Gap with Competitors:
- India cultivates one of the world’s largest cotton areas but has low yield.
- India’s cotton yield is around 441 kg/ha, compared to nearly 2,340 kg/ha in Australia, 2,211 kg/ha in China, 1,943 kg/ha in Brazil, and about 976 kg/ha in the United States.
- This shows that India’s challenge is not land availability but low productivity per hectare.
- Impact of Pink Bollworm Evolution:
- Pink bollworm has adapted to older Bt cotton technologies.
- This has increased pest-management costs and reduced the effectiveness of earlier productivity gains.
- Price Control and Innovation Problem:
- Government controls on Bt cotton seed prices and reduction of technology fees lowered returns for seed companies.
- While price control aimed to protect farmers, it also reduced incentives for private R&D and delayed next-generation cotton technologies.
- A predictable regulatory and pricing framework is needed to attract investment in better seeds.
- Need for Balanced Reform:
- India must combine farmer affordability with innovation incentives.
- Faster biotech approvals, public-private research, resistance management and scientific extension are essential.
Conclusion:
The Cotton Productivity Mission is timely because India’s cotton yield has fallen behind global competitors. Since pink bollworm has evolved and older technologies are insufficient, productivity revival requires renewed investment in seed technology and pest management. India must ensure that farmer protection policies do not unintentionally discourage the innovation needed for long-term cotton competitiveness.
Source: (The Indian Express)
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