COTTON INDUSTRY

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Context

• Cotton textile exports exceeded the government’s FY22 target to reach $15.29 billion, including raw cotton, according to provisional data available.

Cotton Industry

• Cotton plays an important role in the Indian economy as the country's textiles industry is predominantly cotton based.
• Whether raw cotton, cotton seed or cotton textiles; India has been a leader in producing and exporting cotton.
• India is one of the largest producers as well as exporters of cotton yarn. India is the second largest cotton and cellulosic fibres producing country in the world.
• Whether raw cotton, cotton seed or cotton textiles, India has been a leader in producing and exporting cotton.
• The cotton textile industry is the largest organized industry in India. It has grown tremendously during the last four decades and this industry has about 16% of India’s capital and more than 20% of India’s industrial labour.
• In total, it employs up to 15 million workers. There are more than 3000 textile mills in India, both small and large, out of which 188 are in the public sector and 147 are in the cooperative sector. The rest are in the private sector. In addition, there are several thousand small factories with 5–10 looms each.
• Cotton is the king of the Indian textile industry. Around 60% of the textile industry is covered by the Indian cotton textile industry. In the current condition, we are producing 31 million bales per year.
• From the year 1991-92 to the year 2016-17, cotton production of India increases from 119lakh bales to 345lakh bales. This is a 190% growth in cotton production.
• Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab are the major cotton producers in India.
• Gujarat and Maharashtra together produce about 50% of India’s cotton, with Gujarat ginning almost all of it.
• Nearly 67% of the title cotton production of India comes from the cotton basket of India.

Key Markets and Export Destinations

• Cotton yarn and fabrics export account for about 23% of India’s total textiles and apparel export.
• In 2019-20*, India’s cotton production was 36.04 million bales of 170 kgs each.
• During 2019-20, export of cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, cotton made-ups and handloom products reached US$ US$ 10.01 billion.
• The total cotton yarn/ fabs /made-ups, handloom products and other export accounted for US$ 8.71 billion from April 2020 to February 2021 and for February 2021 it was US$ 947.58 million.
• Exports of cotton textiles including raw cotton stood at $15.29 billion in 2021-22.The government’s target was $13.6 billion.
• A significant jump was seen in exports to countries like Bangladesh, USA, Portugal and Sri Lanka.
• Various reputed foreign retailers and brands like Carrefour, Gap, H&M, JC Penney, Levi Strauss, Macy's, Marks & Spencer, Metro Group, Nike, Reebok, Tommy Hilfiger and Walmart import Indian textile products.
• India's major Export destinations in 2018-19 were Bangladesh, China & Pakistan. Countries such as Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Vietnam and Indonesia are scaling up their cotton imports from India to meet the requirements of their export-focused garment industries. China remains India's largest import partner even in 2021-22.

Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council

• The Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) takes part in national and international events to enhance the visibility of Indian products, advertise and promote Indian products in various media vehicles such as fashion magazines, event-related pull-outs, India reports and leading trade magazines, and organise buyer-seller meets (BSM) and trade delegation visits.

Must Read: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/textile-sector-in-india

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