Moving forward to 2024, it looks like India is still holding the 2nd spot in the list of the largest cotton producers in the world. And it could be that in the coming few years India will surpass China in terms of cotton production, which seems possible if you look at the data. To make that happen, the top cotton-producing states are taking charge. Like you may know Gujarat is the highest cotton-producing state, but what about the others? Well, that is what today’s post is all about because here we will be talking about the top 5 highest cotton-producing states in India for 2024.
Top Cotton Producing States In India
1. Gujarat
Production: 91.83 lakh bales
Gujarat is at the top when it comes to cotton production in India. We’re talking about a whopping 91.83 lakh bales in the 2022-2023 season. That’s nearly 29% of what the whole country produces! The secret to their success? Well, it’s a mix of good weather, fertile land, and modern farming techniques. Major cotton hubs in Gujarat include Amreli, Bhavnagar, and a few others. These places are perfect for growing top-notch cotton. And yeah, cotton’s big business in Gujarat, contributing loads to the farmers and the state’s economy. They even call it ‘White Gold’!
2. Maharashtra
Production: 80.25 lakh bales
Maharashtra is right up there, producing an impressive 80.25 lakh bales. This is a big jump from the 75 lakh bales before. Why so successful? Well, it’s got the right conditions for cotton farming. Places like Vidarbha are famous for their ‘Regur soil’, perfect for cotton. The state’s really embracing new farming methods and the government’s backing them up. This isn’t just good for cotton but the entire agricultural scene. And of course, this boosts the state’s economy big time, thanks to the textile industry. But yeah, they’ve had some weather challenges recently, but they’re adapting and keeping up the good work.
Also See: Top 10 Largest Producers Of Cotton In The World
3. Telangana
Production: 53.25 lakh bales
And then there’s Telangana, India’s newest state, making a splash in cotton production. They’ve managed to produce 53.25 lakh bales. How? Well, by simply being smart about farming. They’re using this cool technique called High-Density Planting System (HDPS), and it’s a game-changer. It ups the cotton plant count and boosts production by 30-40%! Cotton’s a big deal in Telangana, making up a huge chunk of their agricultural GDP. They’ve got good irrigation systems and are really focused on improving cotton farming. But just like the others, they’ve got their share of challenges, like too much rain messing with the plants. The experts are on it, though, giving advice on how to handle these issues.
4. Rajasthan
Production: 27.12 lakh bales
It might appear to you that Rajasthan is this dry and desert state in the country and that’s why there is no agriculture happening. If you think the same way then you should dig a little deeper and find out more about the agriculture scene of this state. Anyway, you see, in the 2022-2023 season, Rajasthan produced around 27.12 lakh bales of cotton alone. And, you know, considering Rajasthan’s tough weather and geography, that’s incredibly impressive. But you see, this wasn’t always the case, it all happened because Rajasthan’s government decided to launch many initiatives for farmers, and introduced new tech as well and, of course, the Cotton Development and Research Association played a big part too.
5. Karnataka
Production: 21.04 lakh bales
Alright, on to the last state on the list, now let’s talk about Karnataka. First of all, the main areas or regions where cotton is produced or cultivated are Bijapur, Dharwad, and Bellary. In the last decade or so, the cotton production in Karnataka has increased quite a bit, to the point where last year they produced an actually huge amount (21.04 lakh bales, to be precise) of cotton in the last fiscal year. But unfortunately, that number is about to go down, well, at least that’s what it seems like because more and more farmers are going for different crops like maize, paddy, and oilseeds these days.
FAQs
1. What percentage of the world’s cotton does India produce?
Well, if you look at the top cotton-producing countries list, you’ll find India at the 2nd spot with almost 25% of the world’s total cotton production. And it would be no surprise if India surpassed China within a decade or so in terms of cotton production.
2. What challenges does the Indian cotton sector face?
Of course, there are challenges in every sector, and the cotton sector has some too, like low productivity, pest infestation, high input costs, limited market access, and dependency on monsoon rains.
3. How does cotton production impact India’s economy?
First of all, India has one of the biggest textile industries in the world, therefore yeah, cotton production is super important here. Apart from that, the cotton sector is a major job producer for millions in the country, so yeah, it has a significant impact on the country’s economy.
4. What percentage of India’s cotton is produced in rainfed areas?
The short and sweet answer is that approximately 62% of India’s cotton is produced in rainfed areas, with the remaining 38% on irrigated lands.
5. Which countries are major importers of Indian cotton?
Despite China being the largest cotton producer at the time, it still imports Indian cotton because of the high demand and high quality of the cotton. And other than China, there are other countries on the list too, like the US, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
