COTTON PRODUCTION

The Ministry of Textiles reports that cotton production fell from 352.48 lakh bales in 2020‑21 to a provisional 290.91 lakh bales in 2025‑26, while productivity remained stable between 428‑451 kg/ha. Domestic cotton (S‑6 variety) prices rose about 18% and international prices about 19% over the same period. To ensure raw cotton availability, the government exempted the 11% import duty on cotton imports from 01‑06‑2026 to 31‑10‑2026 and continued the duty exemption on Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton since 20‑02‑2024. It also approved the five‑year Mission for Cotton Productivity (Kapas Kanti) (2026‑27 to 2030‑31) with an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore. Imports of raw cotton surged 80.26% in 2025‑26, reflecting reliance on imports to meet textile industry demand.