SIMA: Hails fund allocation for 'Sustainable Cotton Cultivation Mission'

21 March 2022, Mumbai:

SIMA welcomes fund allocation for Sustainable Cotton Cultivation Mission announced in the Tamilnadu Agriculture Budget 2022-23.

Tamilnadu textile industry which accounts for 1/3 rd of the textile business size of the country provides direct jobs to over sixty lakh people is predominantly cotton-based.

Tamilnadu textile industry needs 120 lakh bales of cotton annually (170 kgs each), while the State produces only five lakh bales per year.

The Association has been pleading the Hon’ble Chief Minister to give more thrust for cotton development in Tamilnadu, as the spinning mills in the State spend between Rs.3/- and Rs.6/- per kg towards transportation to source cotton from other States and cost of the same has been increasing steeply with the increase in diesel price.

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Consequently, the Hon’ble Chief Minister has launched Sustainable Cotton Cultivation Mission and is encouraging cotton development in the State.

In a Press Release issued here today, Mr.Ravi Sam, Chairman, The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) has thanked the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mr.M.K.Stalin and Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, Mr.M.R.K.Paneerselvam for allocating Rs.33,007.68 crores to the Agriculture Department in the State Agriculture Budget for the year 2022-23 which would greatly benefit the farmers at large and cotton farmers in particular.

He has been thanked for allocating Rs.15.32 crores in the budget to enhance the cotton yield.

He has pointed out that the average cotton yield per hectare in the State is around 585 kgs as against the world average of 805 kgs while over 20 countries achieve over 1500 kgs per hectare.

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He has said that SIMA Cotton Development & Research Association (SIMA CD & RA) has been closely working with the Department of Agriculture in implementing various schemes relating to cotton.

Ravi Sam has said that the State has the potential to increase cotton production from the current level of 5 lakh bales to 15 lakh bales in five years with the proposed Mission.

He has added that the State would give importance to the cultivation of sustainable, extra-long-staple cotton and SIMA CD & RA is fully equipped to implement the Mission right from the supply of genetically pure seeds.

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