The Hindu Business Line : Plea to boost extra long staple cotton production

THE country's cotton textile industry is looking up to research institutes and cottonseed manufacturers for new varieties of extra long staple cotton (ELSC) to improve availability of finer quality cotton.

Domestic production of this cotton variety is just one tenth of the current demand and there are fears that once the US Government withdraws subsidy to its cotton cultivators, ELSC prices would shoot up in the international market. The US is one of the largest producers of this fine-quality cotton.

Mr K.N. Viswanathan, Honorary Secretary, South India Cotton Association (SICA), Coimbatore, told Business Line that until a few years ago the country produced around 15 lakh bales of ELSC, sufficient to meet local demand. Largely grown in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, production has declined sharply to about 1.5 lakh bales. The country imports mainly from the US, Egypt and CIS countries; a small quantity also comes from Israel, Australia, Sudan etc.

The finer quality cotton produced from ELSC is used to weave dhotis and sarees catering to the top-end market segment. However, since the ELSC market size is very small compared to the overall cotton market size at 240 lakh bales, cottonseed manufacturers have not shown enthusiasm in developing newer high-quality seed varieties nor have research institutes achieved any breakthroughs.

Mr Viswanathan feared that with no improvement in domestic production of ELSC, the country might be forced to import its entire requirement in the next five years. He conceded that private cottonseed manufacturers mightnot be keen to develop new varieties owing to the bigger demand for coarser varieties of cotton. The demand for ELSC is expected to remain stagnant at around 15 lakh bales.

He said private seed manufacturers were better equipped to introduce new seed varieties in the market compared to agricultural research institutes. The Karnataka Government's help was also being sought to encourage research institutes to develop new ELSC varieties.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Gujarat sets kharif sowing target at 84 lakh hectares

Fishing data

Agriculture Board ensures supply of vegetables in Mumbai

Selling pressure affects rubber

Sugar prices rise to all-time high

2 more Vizag sugar factories plan to start co-generation

Tea auctions in South take a hit

Water storage level 25 pc higher than average in a decade — Oil seeds, rice coverage still lagging behind

Plea to boost extra long staple cotton production

Growing cheer

Rains wreak havoc — Maharashtra poultry industry in trouble

Kerala to export procured pepper