Centre is looking to increase cotton production while reducing input costs as it aims to develop climate-resilient, high-quality seeds that can withstand viral attacks
Aimed at discussing ways to increase cotton production in the country, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, stated that a meeting has been convened on 11 July in Coimbatore. The minister also invited suggestions from Indian farmers.
Chouhan released a video message as part of a series of crop-specific meetings. He noted that the productivity of cotton in our country is currently quite low. In recent times, productivity has declined further due to the TSV virus affecting BT cotton. Cotton production is declining rapidly, putting our farmers in acute distress. He added that the Centre is looking to increase cotton production while reducing input costs as it aims to develop climate-resilient, high-quality seeds that can withstand viral attacks.
“To address this issue, we have convened a meeting on 11 July 2025, at 10 am in Coimbatore. This meeting will include representatives of cotton-growing farmers, farmer organisations, renowned scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (including the Director General of ICAR), agriculture ministers from cotton-producing states, state government officials, representatives from the cotton industry, and agricultural university experts,” he noted.
Chouhan emphasised that the government is ‘deeply engaged’ in finding ways to improve both the productivity and quality of cotton.
