1 min readNew DelhiMay 6, 2026 04:22 AM IST
The Centre on Tuesday approved Rs 5,659.22 crore for the Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026–27 to 2030–31) and hiked the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for 2026-27 (October-September) to Rs 365 per quintal from Rs 355.
According to an official statement, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Rs 5,659.22 crore for cotton productivity to “address bottlenecks, declining growth and quality concerns in India’s cotton sector”.
“The (cotton) Mission envisages to accomplish the production of 498 lakh bales (170 kg lint each) of cotton by enhancing lint productivity from 440 kg/ha to 755 kg/ha by 2031,” it said. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, India’s cotton production stood at 290.91 lakh bales during 2025-26, with Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka and Rajasthan the top five producers in the country.
Approximately 32 lakh farmers will benefit, leading to self-reliance, said the statement, adding that this is a milestone in making the country self-reliant in the cotton sector. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termed the decision a “historic step towards reviving the cotton sector”.
