The cultivation of cotton and its manufacture into textiles
has been practiced in India since pre-historic times.
The evidences from the excavations of Mohanjodaro prove that
Desi Cottons of Northern India or 5,000 years old.
Spread from India to Far East and Mediterranean countries.
Preferred over synthetic fabrics because of its durability, washability,
vapour transfer, softness, chemical stability, elasticity and strength
on both wetting and drying.
By products of cotton are cotton seed oil and cotton cake.
India ranks first in area and fourth in production.
Cotton belongs to Genus Gossypium having 20 species among which 16
are wild type with Short seed Fuzz and 4 are cultivable with spinnable
lint
Four cultivable species are
G. arboreum (n = 13) Asiatic cottons/old world cottons/desi cottons
G. herbaceum (n = 13) Asiatic cottons/old world cottons/desi cottons
Both are diploids
Both species have the genome A.
India appears to have been the main cotton-producing area of old
World, from there the two species spread along the commercial routes
radiating around Indian Ocean, reaching the countries of the Far East
in one direction, and northwards through Africa to Egypt and the Mediterranean
in the other direction.
G. hirsutum (n = 26) American cottons/new world cottons/ exotic
cottons
G. barbadense (n = 26) American cottons/new world cottons/ exotic
cottons
Both are tetraploids.
Both species carrying the genomes A and D.
G. barbadense derived from a perennial cotton native to Peru, called
Tanguis.
This variety was introduced into USA, in the name "Sea-Island" which
has the longest and finest fibres of all the cultivated cottons.
Both Tanguis and Sea-Island types of cotton were brought to Egypt-on
improvement gave rise to the famous Egyptian long-staple cottons.
The centre of origin of G. hirsutum is in central Mexico.
A few types of this species were exceptionally productive, introduced
into USA and subsequently several varieties developed, of when 'Acala'
is probably the most widely distributed in the world at present.
Varieties of Old World species have been almost entirely displaced
by those of the New World, except in the most primitive agricultural
regions of Asia and Africa.
Among the four species of cotton hirsutum occupied 50% of total cotton
area followed by G. arboreum (29%) and G. herbaceum (21%) G. barbadense
is with negligible area. Out of total cotton area 30% occupied by hybrids.
Cotton role in Indian economy
Cotton fibre accounts for almost 70% of the raw material mix
of the textile industry.
The different sectors of Textile industry accounts for 20%
of the industrial production, 7.5% of the GDP and provide employment
to about 27 million persons.
Textile industry contributes about 32% of the Foreign exchange earnings
of the Country.
Out of 8.1m. ha of cotton area only 1/3 is under irrigation
The production of cotton which was 27.9 lakh bales only in 1947-48
has made spectacular progress to reach the level of 156.5 lakh bales
in 1995-96 which constitutes a 460 percent increase.
The import of cotton to meet the needs of the Indian mills which
was a regular feature till 1978-79 and now India is a net exporter of
cotton exports about 5.15 lakh bales in 1996-97.
Production depends vagaries of monsoon and pest incidence
Maximum cotton produced in India used for domestic purpose and exporting
substantial quantities, earning foreign exchange.
Recently there is great demand for medium staple cottons.
First intraspecific (both parents are hirsutums) cotton hybrid (H
-4) produced by Dr. Patel in 1970.
In 1972 an inter specific (Female - hirsutum X male - barbadense)
cotton hybrid (Varalakshmi) was released.
Cotton, often referred as "White gold" has been in cultivation in
India for more than five thousand years.
Though synthetic / man-made fibres have made inroads in many countries
in the world, cotton deserves the prime position in India constituting
more than 70% of the total fibre consumption in the textile sector.
The economic reforms and the trade policy liberalistion carried out
during the last decade with a view of globalising the Indian economy
have exposed the Indian cotton textile industry to a new challenge.
In India, cotton is grown over an area of about 9 million hectares
and provides livelihood for over 4 million farming families.
Various allied activities like ginning, yarn and fabric production,
textile processing, garment manufacture, marketing etc., provide employment
to several million people.
Several ancillary industries like fertilizer, pesticide, agrochemicals,
dyeing industry etc., depend on cotton.
The value of textile material exported from India during 1998-99 amounted
to over Rs.5,27,208 million, comprising 30% of the total foreign exchange
earnings of the country.
In the last two decades, the production of cotton has gone up from
7.5 million bales in 1983-84 to 16.3 million bales of 170 kg/bale during
1998-99.
This is due to the introduction of high yielding varieties, hybrids
and proper management of insect pests and diseases.
The cotton required for the purpose of manufacturing yarn is cultivated
in about 9 million hectares of land in India and thus India ranks first
in the world.
Yet, in regard to productivity of cotton, we are far behind other
cotton producing countries.
While per hectare yield of cotton in India is as low as 333 kgs, a
small country like Turkey produces 1170 kgs of cotton per hectare and
occupies the first rank in the world.
The per hectare yield of cotton in USA is 696 kgs and in China it
is 1026 kgs.
The higher productivity in these countries is mainly due to innovative
and modernized method of cultivation.
In India, more than 75% of the cotton is cultivated either without
suitable irrigation facilities or under rainfed conditions as well as
due to the non-adoption of good seeds and manures.
However, in recent times, the adoption of improved technologies on
cotton cultivation have paved the way for stabilising the yield atleast
to certain extent and this is a welcome feature.
The requirements of cotton in India for the future are projected
as :
220 - 230 lakh bales by 2010 AD.
250 - 270 lakh bales by 2025 AD.
Area, (1000 hectares), production (1000 bales) and lint
yield (kg/ha) in major cotton producing countries during 2004-06
Country
2004-05
2005-06
Area
Prodn.
Yield
Area
Prodn.
Yield
World
35,976
120,232
728
35,194
111,529
690
India
9,000
18,900
457
9,125
18,400
439
China
5,690
29,000
1,110
5,100
25,500
1,089
USA
5,284
23,251
958
5,533
22,282
877
Brazil
5,284
23,251
958
5,533
22,282
877
Pakistan
3,190
11,300
771
3,150
10,000
691
Uzbekistan
1,456
5,200
778
1,450
4,800
721
Turkey
700
4,150
1,291
630
3,700
1,279
EU
466
2,301
1,075
456
2,201
1,051
Australlia
314
3,000
2,080
285
2,400
1,833
Egypt
307
1,300
922
270
1,150
927
Syria
234
1,600
1,489
220
1,375
1,361
Cameroon
220
500
495
200
465
506
Kazakh stan
216
680
685
200
625
680
Israel
14
119
1851
10
100
2,177
Source: USDA, September, 2005.
Area (lakh hectares), Production (lakh bales of 170 kg)
and lint yield (kg/ha) in India during during 2004-05.
States
2004-05
Area
Production
Yield
All India (Total)
89.60
232.00
440
Maharashtra
30.49
52.00
290
Gujarat
19.95
62.00
528
Andhra Pradesh
11.42
32.50
484
Punjab
5.08
16.50
552
Karnataka
5.33
9.00
287
Haryana
6.50
15.00
392
Rajasthan
2.48
10.50
720
Madhya Pradesh
5.86
16.00
464
Tamil Nadu
1.63
5.50
574
Others
0.86
1.00
-
*CAB March 2K5
Districtwise Area, Production & Productivity of cotton
in AndhraPradesh 2003-2004.
History
