Policymakers and industry representatives must be equally concerned over the lack of growthin the country’s cotton economy. In recent years, our domestic cotton crop has been grappling with several challenges, including land constraints, water shortage and climate change.

Acreage for cotton crops has stagnated at around 125-130 lakh hectares, and yields have actually declined from the peak of 500 kilograms per hectare to the present, around 425 kg/ha.

Cotton output has turned uncertain in terms of quantity and quality. Production has steadily fallen from 360 lakh bales in 2019-20 to 294 lakh bales in 2024-25. Our raw cotton export has been on a declining trend for the last three years. In 2024-25, India has moved from being a net exporter to a net importer of cotton.

At the same time, the demand for the natural fibre has been rising, boosted by the addition of a new processing capacity (spindles).

The view that the supply and demand fundamentals of cotton are tightening steadily is unmistakable. Import volumes are gathering pace. This raises a serious question. Can India produce enough cotton in the future to remain self-reliant?

The answer is not easy, but surely not out of reach. We must........

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