3. Structural Shift in Indian Agriculture: The Decline of Cotton Acreage

Summary of Key Trends • Shift to Remunerative Crops: Indian farmers are increasingly diversifying away from cotton toward rice and maize, driven by the search for stable yields and higher returns. Between 2019-20 and 2025-26, cotton acreage fell by nearly 20% to 11.2 million hectares. • Productivity Crisis: India\'s cotton yield remains stagnant at 430-450 kg/hectare, significantly lagging behind global leaders like Australia (1,800-2,200 kg/hectare) and even neighboring Pakistan (700-800 kg/hectare). • Technological Stagnation: The sector is hampered by a reliance on aging Bollgard-II technology, while competitors have moved to advanced versions. This gap has increased vulnerability to pests like the Pink Bollworm and erratic weather patterns. • Rise of Alternatives: Maize acreage has surged by 64.7% due to strong demand from the livestock feed industry and the government’s Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP), which offers an assured market. • Policy Intervention: To arrest this decline, the Union Budget 2025-26 announced a five-year \'Cotton Mission\' with an allocation of ₹500 crore, focusing on technology support and extra-long staple (ELS) varieties. • Macroeconomic Impact: As cotton supports 6 million farmers and forms the backbone of the textile export industry, the shift threatens rural livelihoods and India’s competitive edge in the global garment market. Key Definitions • Extra-Long Staple (ELS) Cotton: High-quality cotton with longer fibers, used for premium textiles; India currently faces a deficit in this category, necessitating imports. • Bollgard-II: A second-generation insect-protected cotton technology; its waning effectiveness against resistant pests is a primary cause of falling yields. • Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP): A government initiative to blend ethanol (often derived from maize) with petrol to reduce crude oil imports and carbon emissions. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 48 (DPSP): Directs the State to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. • Entry 14, State List (Schedule VII): Agriculture, including agricultural education and research, is primarily a State subject, though the Centre influences it through Missions and MSP. • Seed Act, 1966: Regulates the quality of seeds for sale, essential for the \'Cotton Mission\' to introduce high-yielding and pest-resistant varieties. Additional Important Keypoints • Global Yield Gap: India\'s yield is nearly 1/4th of China’s, highlighting a critical need for precision farming and biotechnology. • Structural Bottlenecks: Small landholding sizes and limited access to micro-irrigation prevent the adoption of high-density planting systems (HDPS) used in Brazil and the US. • Industrial Linkage: The textile industry contributes roughly 2% to India\'s GDP and 12% to export earnings; a raw material shortage could lead to higher manufacturing costs. Conclusion The transition from cotton to rice and maize reflects a rational economic choice by farmers faced with technological stagnation and climate risks. While the new Cotton Mission is a timely step, its success depends on bridging the biotechnology gap and improving per-hectare productivity to international benchmarks. Failure to revitalize the sector could lead to a permanent erosion of India’s dominance in the global cotton trade. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country; e-technology in the aid of farmers; Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Economics of animal-rearing. • GS Paper I: Geography—Distribution of key natural resources (cotton belts); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries (Textile Industry).