The Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Textiles, celebrated its 56th Foundation Day at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, highlighting its continued efforts towards strengthening India’s cotton sector, empowering farmers and promoting sustainable cotton production.
The event was attended by Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh along with senior officials from the Central and Maharashtra governments, representatives from the textile industry, researchers, scientists, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and cotton farmers.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Giriraj Singh described cotton as a vital pillar of India’s rural economy and agricultural growth. He emphasised that the government remains committed to improving the livelihood security of cotton farmers through supportive policies, technology adoption and market-oriented initiatives.
Highlighting CCI’s achievements during Cotton Season 2025–26, the Minister said that the organisation carried out one of the largest Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement operations in its history. CCI procured more than 522 lakh quintals of seed cotton (kapas) through nearly 24 lakh farmer transactions, with around ₹41,530 crore transferred directly into farmers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
The Minister also noted that the MSP for seed cotton has been increased by nearly 7 per cent for Cotton Season 2026–27, ensuring better returns for cotton growers and strengthening income stability across cotton-producing regions.
Cotton Productivity Mission to Transform Sector
Speaking about the recently approved Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti, Shri Giriraj Singh said the initiative would bring significant transformation to India’s cotton ecosystem. With a financial allocation of ₹5,659 crore over five years, the mission aims to enhance cotton productivity, improve fibre quality, modernise processing infrastructure and encourage climate-resilient farming practices.
The initiative will also strengthen the branding and traceability of Indian cotton through Kasturi Cotton Bharat, which seeks to position premium Indian cotton in international markets by adopting globally recognised standards of certification, sustainability and quality assurance.
The Minister stated that Kasturi Cotton Bharat represents India’s ambition of taking cotton from “Farm to Fashion to Global Market” while creating a strong identity for Indian cotton worldwide.
Congratulating CCI on completing 56 years of dedicated service, Shri Giriraj Singh expressed confidence that cooperation among farmers, government agencies, research institutions and the textile industry would help India emerge as a global leader in sustainable and high-quality cotton production.
Initiatives for Farmers and Sustainable Cultivation
During the foundation day celebrations, the ‘Kapas Darshan’ bulletin was launched to provide cotton farmers with important information related to weather updates, market trends, scientific cultivation methods, quality improvement practices and government schemes.
The programme also featured audio-visual presentations on contamination control, the Kapas Kisan Mobile App and the Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti. To encourage modern and scientific farming methods, advanced agricultural equipment, including Kapas Plucker Machines, Cotton Stalk Shredder Machines and Contamination Control Kits, were distributed among cotton farmers and FPOs.
The celebrations began with a farmer orientation programme that included demonstrations on the use of modern cotton harvesting equipment, contamination prevention techniques and awareness sessions on productivity enhancement. A special musical presentation on Pink Bollworm Management was also organised to promote scientific pest management practices.
MoUs Signed to Strengthen Cotton Value Chain
A key highlight of the event was the signing of four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at improving India’s cotton ecosystem.
CCI and ICAR-CIRCOT signed an agreement focused on capacity building and quality enhancement in the ginning and pressing sector. Another partnership between CCI and GIZ will work towards improving market access for cotton farmers through Kasturi Cotton Bharat by promoting sustainability, traceability and quality standards.
CITI, ICAC and MERAGO/GEOCLARA entered into an agreement to support carbon credit generation through climate-smart cotton cultivation practices. Meanwhile, TEXPROCIL and Manjeet Cotton Pvt. Ltd. signed an MoU under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative for producing and certifying 30,000 cotton bales, including Long Staple and Extra Long Staple varieties, with complete traceability and quality compliance.
Addressing the gathering, Ms. Padmini Singla, IAS, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Ministry of Textiles, stated that India’s cotton sector is undergoing a major transformation driven by innovation, sustainability and productivity improvement. She highlighted that the Ministry is working towards strengthening the complete textile value chain — from Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Fabric and Fabric to Fashion.
CCI Chairman-cum-Managing Director Shri Lalit Kumar Gupta highlighted the organisation’s 56-year journey in protecting the interests of cotton farmers through transparent, technology-enabled and farmer-focused initiatives. He reaffirmed CCI’s commitment to ensuring fair prices for farmers, promoting quality cotton production and contributing to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Author: Shivam
Shivam Dwivedi is a senior journalist with extensive experience in research-driven journalism, policy communication, and multi-platform storytelling. His areas of interest include international relations, defence, science & technology, education, urban development, agriculture, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on in-depth analysis, public discourse, and impactful narratives across governance and development sectors, with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Contact: [email protected]
