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India is the world’s largest producer of cotton. But it has been facing a sustained decline in cotton production over the past decade, according to a reply given by the Union government in Parliament.
Cotton production touched 38.6 million bales in the 2014-15 cotton season. The forecast for 2024-25 puts output at just 29.4 million bales. Cotton production decreased by 9.2 million bales in the last decade
This is despite the fact that high-yielding seeds have been introduced, there is significant government support and growing demand from the textile sector.
The data shows that India’s cotton sector is facing a broader structural problem that is eroding farmer interest.