World Cotton Day

profile picture BookMyCrop Oct 07, 2022

A Kharif crop, cotton is used in the textile and apparel industries. It takes this Kharif crop 6 to 8 months to develop. Depending on the local climate, different regions have varied crop harvesting and sowing seasons. Before the winter frost may harm the crop, it is sown between April and May and harvested between December and January. It needs soil with a high temperature for planting. Cotton has been around since 5000 BC. The cotton fibers and remains of buds were discovered in Mexico around 5000 BC. Since 5000 BC, cotton has been utilized in Egypt and India.

Indian cotton varieties
There are three different varieties of cotton  based on the fiber's length, structure, and strength.

Long-Staple Cotton
It is the longest fiber, measuring between 24 and 27 mm, as its name suggests. Long, bright, and fine describe this fiber. This fiber is used to produce exquisite, superior-quality textile. The most popular type of cotton in India and the one with the lowest Kapas price is long-staple cotton. About half of the world's cotton is produced as long-staple cotton in India. Punjab, Maharashtra, MP, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, AP, and Gujarat are the main states that produce long-staple cotton.

Medium Staple Cotton
The fiber length of medium staple cotton ranges from 20 to 24 mm. A medium staple makes up around 44% of the total production in Kapas. Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra are important states. The second-most popular fiber in India is a medium staple, which produces high-quality clothing. It is reasonably priced and available.

Short Staple Cotton
The shortest fiber and inferior type of cotton is a short staple. Less than 20 mm is the length of short-staple cotton. It produced cheap cloth of poor quality. About 6% of cotton is produced as short staple. The top five states for producing short-staple cotton are Haryana, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

India's Methods for Producing Cotton
Here we display the stages involved in processing cotton.

  • Planting
    Making soil furrows in order to plant seeds is the first step in the production of cotton. The planting window for cotton is between early February and late June. The soil warms more quickly with the aid of furrows and direct water irrigation. The soil is prepared for planting when it reaches a temperature of 65 degrees. The seed will be sown in the ground by farmers. This procedure is a crucial and challenging phase in the cotton farming process. However, it becomes simpler with the right precautions and cutting-edge farm equipment. Farmers should pair tractors with heavy farm equipment such a harrow, cultivator, ground leveler, etc. for planting and soil preparation. Soil preparation raises the soil's productivity-enhancing quality.
  • Growing
    We see plant growth at the next stage. The seed emerges from the ground after being planted for one to two weeks. The plant blooms and heightens to 2–5 feet after 8–10 weeks. Within three days, the blossom self-pollinates and transforms from creamy white to pinkish-red. Following this procedure, the bloom withers and dies, leaving the growing boll behind. The cotton boll begins to mature at around 10 weeks.
  • Boll Opening
    The cotton bolls open in the third phase, allowing the dry white bolls to evaporate, clean the fibre, and fluff it up. The cotton crops can now be harvested after this procedure. After 50 to 70 days of flowering, the cotton bolls begin to open.
  • Picking
    The farm equipment that extracts the fiber from the plant is required for this phase. the cotton picker, also known as a cotton harvesting farm machine, which is used to pick cotton. Up to 6–8 rows can be harvested at once by the equipment. Early July or the end of October are the seasons for cotton picking.
  • Modules
    The cotton from the picker was deposited on the ground in the next stage and then compacted using a hydraulic module builder to create a module. The modules are kept for storage in the field.
  • Ginning
    The modules were carried to the cotton gain throughout this process, where the cotton was cleaned, dried, and the fiber was mechanically extracted from the cotton. A device called a gin is produced with circular saws and is used to separate raw fiber through ribs. To stop the seed from passing, ribs are used. The cottonseed and fiber are delicately separated by the machine.
  • Cottonseed
    Cottonseed can be used to make cotton oil, cotton meal, hulls, and other valuable products after being separated.
  • Cotton Fiber
    Lint, the raw fiber, is squeezed into bales during this procedure. Textiles, apparel, and many other products are made from cotton fiber. The bales are exported to the yards, mills, and other nations after being tested by experts, wrapped completely in protection, and packed with eight steel straps.

Cotton Production Benefits

  • For clothing, bedsheets, curtains, and jackets, cotton is quite advantageous.
  • Cotton seed oil is beneficial for both food and cosmetics.
  • Coffee filters, oil, polymers, and rubber are all profitable.

Which Indian state produces the most cotton?
Here, we provide the state-by-state production of cotton in India. Gujarat is the state that produces the most cotton in India.

  • Gujarat
    Gujarat is the main cotton-producing state in India. It covers 26.59 lakh hectares and yields 95 lakh bales of cotton in India. This state is a profitable area for cotton growing in India 2019–20 due to annual rainfall and black soil. Vadodara, Mehsana, Bharuch, Surendranagar, and Ahmedabad are the areas that are most well-known for producing cotton. Gujarat is a key state for the textile industry because so much cotton is produced there.
  • Maharashtra
    Maharashtra produced 82 lakh bales of cotton, making it the country's highest cotton producer. In Maharashtra, 42.54 lakh hectares of cotton are produced. Yavatamal, Vidarbha, Khandesh, Marathwada, Akola, Wardha, and Amravati are the areas in Maharashtra that produce the most cotton.
  • Telangana
    About 53 lakh cotton bales are produced in Telangana, which has an area of 18.27 lakh hectares in India. The principal cotton-producing areas in the state are Kurnool, Anantapur, Prakasam, and Guntur.
  • Rajasthan
    Rajasthan produces 25 lakh cotton bales annually and occupies an area of 6.29 lakh hectares in India. Bhilwara, Ajmer, Chittorgarh, Jhalawar, Pali, and Hanumangarh are the locations.
  • Haryana
    In fifth place and with 22 lakh cotton bales produced, Haryana. In Haryana, there are 7.08 lakh hectares of cotton plantations. Fatehabad, Sirsa, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Charkhi Rohtak, Jind, and Kaithal are the principal regions.
  • Madhya Pradesh
    Every year, Madhya Pradesh produces 20 lakh bales. Cotton is produced on 5.79 lakh hectares in MP. The areas of Bhopal, Dewas, Ratlam, Nimar, and Shajapur that produce cotton.
  • Karnataka
    Karnataka is the seventh-largest cotton-producing state in India, with 18 lakh bales of cotton produced annually. Karnataka state has 6.88 lakh hectares of cotton. Due to the North Karnataka Plateau's favorable cotton-growing environment, kapas flourished there. Dharwad, Gulbarga, Dharwad, Bellary, and Belgaum are significant factors.
  • Punjab
    Punjab produces 13 lakh bales annually and occupies an area of 2.68 lakh hectares in India. Ludhiyana, Moga, Bhatinda, Faridkot, Sangrur, and Mansa are the principal regions.
  • Tamil Nadu
    6 lakh cotton bales and 1.31 lakh hectares of land are contributed by the state of Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, cotton is produced in the cities of Vellalore, Ramanathapuram, Coimbatore, Salem, and Madurai, as well as Tiruchirapalli.
  • Odisha
    Odhisa produces 1.58 lakh hectares of cotton annually for India. The majority of Odhisa's cotton is produced in Subarnapur.

Latest Blogs

Gujarat’s Contribution to Indian Agriculture

Agriculture has been the backbone of India’s economy for centur ...

13-Feb-2025

Smart Farming Meets Smart Trading: The Rise of Digital Krishi Bazaar

With the advent of Online agriculture companies in India, the t ...

13-Feb-2025

Online Agri Store: The New-Age Solution for Farmers and Traders

The agriculture sector is the backbone of India’s economy, and ...

13-Feb-2025

How AgriTech is Solving Farmers’ Biggest Challenges?

Agriculture has long been the backbone of India’s economy, yet ...

13-Feb-2025

How and Where to Buy Premium Cotton in Gujarat?

Gujarat, often referred to as the "Cotton Bowl of India," stand ...

21-Jan-2025