India tops in world organic cotton output

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India tops in world organic cotton output
Organic cotton output increased 292 per cent during 2007-08 to73,702 tonnes compared with the previous year.


M.R. Subramani
Chennai, Oct. 31 Call it compulsion or accident, the fact is Indiais now the world leader in production of organic cotton. Thecountry’s organic cotton output increased 292 per cent during2007-08 to 73,702 tonnes compared with the previous year. But thisis what the Organic Exchange’s Organic Cotton Farm and FibreReport 2008 had to say: “While this (production details) ispartially the result of more accurate data, the increase is also aresult of unavailability of fertilisers, prohibitive cost ofsynthetic pesticides and general disenchantment with geneticallymodified cotton production.”
However, it says India is undeniably the world leader in this fieldand showing signs of continued increase in production. And, inturn, it has pushed global organic production by 152 per cent to1.46 lakh tonnes. This means India contributes exactly half of theworld’s organic cotton output. Higher demand


Mr D.K. Nair, Secretary-General of the Confederation of IndianTextile Industries, says the rise in organic production is due toincreased demand for organic cotton products. “We are thesecond-largest producer of cotton and second-largest exporter. Wewill soon emerge as the largest exporter, as US production isfalling,” he said.
The Organic Exchange report also concedes that increase in globalproduction could be attributed to “heightened marketdemand”, besides identification of unknown projects andimprovement in data collection. Govt role
The report also attributes the rise in output to the efforts of theAgricultural and Processed Food Products Export DevelopmentAuthority or Apeda. “The Authority is attempting to shift thefocus of farmers’ lives from mere subsistence to strength andprosperity, especially in organic cotton industry,” it said.
Besides, the Centre has set up an Organic Cotton Advisory Board,while a National Centre for Organic Farming has been formed toimprove farming practices and fund research through NGOs,universities and research institutes.
Within the country, Madhya Pradesh leads in organic cottonproduction, followed by Maharashtra and Orissa.
“The huge push for GM cotton in States such as Gujarat andAndhra Pradesh continues to hamper adoption of organiccotton,” the report said.
The Organic Exchange report said the most difficult challenges inIndia were lack of strong scientific research and development,unavailability of non-treated seeds, shortage of organicfertilisers, disorganised dissemination of information, difficultyin providing advance payments for production and lack of adequateinformation sharing and communication down the supply chain.
“Organic cotton farming is more popular than eco-labellingand more farmers are taking to it,” said Mr Nair. It alsofetches them premium but no data is available on the exact gain forthe farmer. Related Stories:
Organic cotton takes root in Kutch
Track & trace usage of organic cotton
India may soon turn No. 1 organic cotton producer

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