For better cotton productivity, strategy involving multiple stakeholders and Central and State ministries is urgently drawn up. Elaborate (200 Words)
Refer - Business Line
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 2 years
KEY POINTS
· Cotton exports worth $2 billion are under threat. India cultivates cotton on 12 million hectares but lags in productivity.
· The current productivity of 440 kg/ha of lint, down from its peak of 516 kg/ha five years ago, compares poorly with the global average of 775 kg/ha.
· Lack of upgradation of agronomic practices and mechanisation of operations including picking are creating inefficiencies in cotton production.
High Density Planting System (HDPS)
· Increase the plant population from the current 15,000-25,000 per hectare to 75,000- 1,00,000 with customised agronomic practices thereby increasing the yield by 30 per cent.
High Ginning Out-Turn (GOT)
· Seed companies need to be incentivised to invest in developing varieties with higher ginning out-turn.
Technology deployment
· The commercial approval of BtHt cotton is absolutely essential to meet farmers’ urgent needs.
· It will also encourage R&D and accelerate research to tackle the pink bollworm, boll rot menace and cotton leaf curl virus.
· The Centre must streamline and operationalise the regulatory system, do away with burden of NOC from States, ensure regular functioning of GEAC and encourage the private sector to deploy advanced biotech traits.
· There is a need to revisit the highly successful Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC) 1.0 of 2002 and repeat the momentum by undertaking modern technology deployment through the value chain.
