logo
Naturally coloured cotton revival hit by funding crunch, low yields

Naturally coloured cotton revival hit by funding crunch, low yields

Mint6 days ago
New Delhi, Jul 20 (PTI) India's naturally coloured cotton, which thrived commercially in the 1940s, is struggling to stage a comeback despite rising global demand for sustainable textiles and decades of government's efforts in research.
The specialty crop is currently grown on just 200 acres across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, fetching ₹ 240 per kg, 50 per cent more than regular cotton at ₹ 160 per kg. However, farmers are hesitant to expand cultivation due to significantly lower yields.
"The productivity of light brown cotton is very low at 1.5-2 quintals per acre, compared to 6-7 quintals per acre for normal cotton. This discourages farmers from expanding the area under this crop," Ashok Kumar, Principal Scientist at ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (CIRCOT), told PTI.
Annual production from these limited acres stands at merely 330 quintals, underscoring the challenge facing this specialty crop that could potentially transform India's textile sustainability profile.
ICAR-CIRCOT is currently focusing on light brown coloured cotton.
Coloured cotton has ancient roots in Indian agriculture, with cultivation dating back to 2500 BC. Before independence, red, khaki and brown varieties of Cocanada 1 and 2 were grown commercially in Rayalseema, Andhra Pradesh, with exports to Japan. Traditional varieties were also cultivated in Assam and Karnataka's Kumta region.
However, the Green Revolution's emphasis on high-yielding white cotton varieties pushed coloured cotton to the sidelines. The crop's inherent limitations - fewer bolls, lower weight, poor fibre strength, short staple length and colour variations - made it economically unviable for large-scale cultivation.
Indian agricultural institutions have developed improved varieties, including DDCC-1, DDB-12, DMB-225, and DGC-78 by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. The Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, created Vaidehi-95, considered the most prominent among 4-5 available varieties.
Between 2015-19, ICAR-CIRCOT processed 17 quintals in demonstration batches, producing 9,000 metres of fabric, over 2,000 jackets and 3,000 handkerchiefs, proving commercial viability.
The environmental benefits are significant. Traditional cotton dyeing requires approximately 150 litres of water per metre of fabric, while naturally coloured cotton eliminates this requirement, potentially reducing toxic waste disposal costs by up to 50 per cent.
"Naturally coloured cotton has huge export potential. More government support is required to enhance production and value addition," Kumar said.
Despite premium pricing and environmental advantages, expansion faces hurdles including lack of seed systems, pest vulnerability, and high pesticide requirements typical of cotton cultivation.
"Nobody develops varieties as production is low and the market is not visible. Even textile mills are not ready to procure small quantities," Kumar explained.
The global market shows promise with growing demand from environmentally conscious brands, particularly in Europe, USA and Japan. Australia and China are investing heavily in research using traditional breeding and genetic engineering.
For commercial viability, coordinated efforts are needed across the value chain '” from developing farmer-friendly varieties to creating processing infrastructure and establishing market linkages with textile manufacturers committed to sustainable practices.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kotak Mahindra Bank Q1 results: Profit slips 7% YoY; retail CV stress, high provisions weigh on earnings
Kotak Mahindra Bank Q1 results: Profit slips 7% YoY; retail CV stress, high provisions weigh on earnings

Time of India

time30 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Kotak Mahindra Bank Q1 results: Profit slips 7% YoY; retail CV stress, high provisions weigh on earnings

Kotak Mahindra Bank reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 4,472 crore for the June quarter, marking a significant drop from Rs 7,448 crore in the same period last year. The previous year's figure, however, included a one-time gain of over Rs 3,000 crore from the sale of a stake in its general insurance business, as per news agency PTI. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On a standalone basis, the bank's net profit declined 7 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,282 crore. The bank attributed the dip to a combination of falling core income—impacted by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rate cuts—slower fee income growth, and elevated provisions. Net interest income (NII) rose 6 per cent to Rs 7,259 crore, supported by 14 per cent loan book growth, but this was offset by a contraction in the net interest margin (NIM), which slipped 37 basis points to 4.65 per cent. According to chief financial officer Devang Gheewala, the bank's income is highly sensitive to rate cuts, with over 60 per cent of its assets linked to the repo rate. He explained that while policy rate reductions affect yields immediately, deposit rates take longer to adjust, pressuring margins. Other income grew modestly by 5 per cent to Rs 3,080 crore. Gheewala noted that income will likely pick up once regulatory restrictions are lifted, allowing expansion in digital savings accounts and credit card issuance, as per PTI. Provisions more than doubled to Rs 1,200 crore. A significant portion of this was allocated for stress in the microfinance (MFI) segment and the retail commercial vehicle (CV) portfolio. 'The provisions for MFI business have peaked,' said MD and CEO Ashok Vaswani, as per PTI. He added that disbursements in this segment have resumed cautiously and are expected to accelerate in the latter half of the year. Fresh slippages rose to Rs 1,812 crore, up from Rs 1,358 crore a year earlier, pushing the gross non-performing assets (NPA) ratio up to 1.48 per cent from 1.39 per cent. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Gheewala said that nearly 35 per cent of the new slippages originated from the retail CV portfolio. As per PTI, deputy managing director Shanti Ekambaram explained that the smaller CV operators, those with fleets under 10 vehicles, are struggling due to weak demand in goods transport, pricing pressures, and delayed payments from government contracts. However, she added that other retail loan segments, including home and personal loans, are performing well. On the housing front, Ekambaram described the lending market as not only competitive but 'irrational' in pricing. Despite this, the bank is aggressively pursuing the segment due to the long-term value and customer retention it offers. Kotak's capital adequacy ratio remains strong at 23 per cent, with a core capital buffer exceeding 21 per cent. Vaswani said the bank aims to grow its book at 1.5 to 2 times the nominal GDP growth of India. Subsidiaries contributed more than one-third of the group's profits. Kotak Securities reported a profit of Rs 465 crore, up from Rs 400 crore last year. The asset management and life insurance arms more than doubled their net profits to Rs 326 crore and Rs 327 crore, respectively.

Modi attends Maldives' Independence Day as Guest of Honour, first Indian Prime Minister to do so
Modi attends Maldives' Independence Day as Guest of Honour, first Indian Prime Minister to do so

Time of India

time34 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Modi attends Maldives' Independence Day as Guest of Honour, first Indian Prime Minister to do so

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the 60th Independence Day celebrations of the Maldives as the Guest of Honour. This is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has joined the Maldives' Independence Day festivities. Modi is also the first foreign Head of State or Government to be hosted by President Mohamed Muizzu for the occasion. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Data Science Cybersecurity healthcare PGDM Others Design Thinking Product Management Management Finance Technology others Operations Management Artificial Intelligence CXO Healthcare Project Management MBA Leadership Digital Marketing Data Analytics Degree MCA Public Policy Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Accompanied by President Muizzu, Modi witnessed the Independence Day parade at Republic Square. The celebrations featured a colourful march by the Maldivian National Defence Force and other local units, along with cultural performances highlighting the country's achievements as a modern nation. Extending warm greetings to the government and people of the Maldives, Modi lauded their hospitality and said his participation as Guest of Honour underscored the growing warmth in bilateral ties. The visit comes as India and the Maldives mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2025. Later, Modi met leaders from various Maldivian political parties, noting that their participation reflected bipartisan support for the "strong and time-tested friendship" between the two nations. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other senior officials were present. The Prime Minister also held talks with former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, assuring him of India's continued support to Male through capacity building and development cooperation. Modi praised Nasheed as a steadfast advocate of deeper friendship between India and the Maldives.

Indian man offered $150K job in US questions relocating solely for kids' education: ‘Is it really worth it?'
Indian man offered $150K job in US questions relocating solely for kids' education: ‘Is it really worth it?'

Hindustan Times

timean hour ago

  • Hindustan Times

Indian man offered $150K job in US questions relocating solely for kids' education: ‘Is it really worth it?'

An Indian man's dilemma over whether to relocate to the United States for his children's education has sparked a thoughtful discussion on Reddit. The post, shared by the user under the title 'Is it worth relocating to USA from India?', highlights his concerns about leaving behind a settled and financially secure life in India in pursuit of potential educational opportunities for his children in the US. An Indian man on Reddit sought advice on relocating to the US for his kids' education.(Representational image/Unsplash) 'Settled in India, but is it enough?' The man, who is in his 40s, shared that he has a homemaker wife and two children currently studying in the 9th and 7th grades. He revealed that his company has offered him an internal transfer to Dallas, USA, under the L1A/EB1 visa programme with a annual salary of $150,000. However, his decision isn't driven by money. 'I am thinking to take this opportunity to give better education for my kids (not money), however I am afraid, whether it really help the kids or it will create big problem in future,' he wrote. 'I settled in India with own house without any loans. Is it really worth to relocate purely for kids education only?' Mixed reactions from Reddit users The post, shared by user @Grouchy-Leg1641, prompted several responses from fellow Redditors, many of whom offered their own perspectives and shared similar personal experiences. One Redditor empathised with his uncertainty, saying, 'You're already living a stable life. Moving now is a gamble, especially when the kids are in their teens.' Another added, 'Education might be better there, but will your kids adjust? Teenagers hate change.' One user noted, 'The exposure and opportunities in the US are unmatched. If you can afford it without stress, why not?' Another pointed out, '$150K in Dallas is a solid income. With your background and no existing loans, you'll still have stability.' Some questioned the necessity of the move altogether. 'Indian education is not bad if you guide your kids well,' one user said. Another commented, 'Moving for education is noble, but think long term—social security, healthcare, family support.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store