Question : Cotton Production

(a) whether it has come to the notice of the Ministry that Guntur in Andhra Pradesh (AP) is the major district where cotton is grown;

(b) whether it is true that production has gone up from 7 lakh bales in 2012-13 to 10.75 lakh bales in 2014-15 and the productivity from 3.89 bales/hectare in 2013-14 to 5.21 bales/hectare in 2014-15;

(c) if so, the details of the production and productivity in 2015-16 to 2018-19, year-wise;

(d) whether the Ministry has tried to ascertain the reasons for sudden increase in yield and if so, the outcome thereof;

(e) the efforts being made to maintain the momentum to permit other companies to produce Bt. Cotton seeds; and

(f) the status of organic cotton production in the country, particularly in Guntur in AP?

MINISTER OF TEXTILES
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): Yes, Guntur is one of the major cotton growing district in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

(b): Location-wise production and productivity data is not available. However, the state-wise production during cotton year 2012-13 to 2014-15 and productivity during cotton year 2013-14 & 2014-15 of seed cotton (kapas) finalized by the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) in the State of Andhra Pradesh is as under:-

State Production
(Quantity in lakh bales) Productivity (Yield) (Kg/Hectare)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2013-14 2014-15
Andhra Pradesh 84.00 78.00 77.00* 555.04 501.17
* Including Telangana.

(c) & (d): Statement showing year-wise production and productivity of cotton in the state of Andhra Pradesh during cotton year 2015-16 to 2018-19 is given below:-

Crop Year Cotton Production
(Qty in lakh bales) Productivity (Kg/Hectare)
2015-16 23.75 606.23
2016-17 19.00 684.32
2017-18 21.26 559.47
2018-19 (P) 14.50 396.94
P-Provisional

(e): Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare provides the financial assistance to the States and seed producing agencies for production and distribution of seeds through various ongoing crop development programmes/schemes viz. National Food Security Mission, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials under National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology etc.

(f): Organic textiles are the low volume of production and the demand for organic cotton-based products is negligible within the country, mostly because of its high price.

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