Preparations for cotton sowing intensified in Alwar, bumper yield expected due to scientific technologyAfter harvesting of Rabi crops in Alwar and Khairthal-Tijara, farmers have now intensified preparations for sowing cotton. According to agricultural experts, this time the main time for cotton sowing will be from the last week of April to the first week of May. The activities of sowing 'white gold' in the fields have started at a rapid pace.Farmers are doing deep plowing of the fields after harvesting mustard and wheat and paying special attention to maintaining moisture in the soil through paleva (irrigation). Agricultural experts say that the right level of moisture is very important for the germination and initial growth of cotton.This time farmers are giving priority to the use of local manure so that the quality of the soil is maintained and production capacity increases.Scientific suggestions for disease controlAgricultural scientists have advised special management to prevent root rot disease. In areas where this problem is prevalent, it is recommended to mix 6 kg zinc sulphate per bigha of soil before sowing.Apart from this, emphasis has been laid on the use of Trichoderma for biological control.It is beneficial to add 2.5 kg Trichoderma hargenium to the soil along with rotten cow dung manure.Seed treatment required at the rate of 10 grams Trichoderma per kilogram of seeds.Production will increase with improved varietiesAgricultural experts have advised farmers to adopt improved and certified varieties, which include RG-8, RG-18, HD. 123 more secrets are included. These varieties are more tolerant towards pests and are capable of giving better production. Emphasis on crop residue managementInstead of burning stubble, farmers have been advised to mix crop residues with the soil using rotavators or cultivators. This increases organic carbon in the soil and improves water holding capacity.Overall, with scientific technology and better agricultural management, good cotton production is expected in Alwar region this time.read more :- The rupee fell 30 paise to close at 93.12 against the US dollar.
On Monday, the Indian rupee weakened by 30 paise to close at 93.12 against the US dollar after opening at 92.82 in early trade.At close, the Sensex was up 26.76 points or 0.03 percent at 78,520.30, and the Nifty was up 11.30 points or 0.05 percent at 24,364.85. About 1733 shares advanced, 2471 shares declined, and 175 shares unchanged.read more :- CCI increases cotton prices, sales cross 2.93 lakh bales
CCI Hikes Cotton Prices by ₹900- ₹1,500 per Candy; Weekly Auction Sales Cross 2.93 Lakh BalesThe Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) raised its cotton prices by ₹900- ₹1,500 per candy during previous week from April 13 to April 17, 2026, the auctions witnessed participation from mills and cotton traders, resulting in robust weekly sales of about 2,93,500 bales from the 2025–26 season.Day-wise Auction HighlightsApril 13 (Monday):The week began on a strong note, recording the highest single-day sale of 1,03,500 bales. Traders dominated purchases with 75,300 bales, while mills bought 28,200 bales.April 15 (Wednesday):Sales moderated to 60,100 bales. Mills purchased 23,000 bales, while traders accounted for 37,100 bales.April 16 (Thursday):Auction activity picked up again, with 79,200 bales sold. Mills purchased 26,800 bales, and traders bought 52,400 bales.April 17 (Friday):The week concluded with sales of 50,700 bales. Mills purchased 26,400 bales, while traders bought 24,300 bales.Cumulative Sales Update:2025–26 Season: 53,66,300 bales2024–25 Season: 98,85,100 bales
“White gold in crisis: Rapidly shrinking area of cotton cultivation in Maharashtra and changing attitude of farmers”Cotton cultivation, once known as “white gold” in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra, is now going through a serious crisis. In the areas which were once considered the major “cotton belt” of the country, especially Dharashiv and surrounding districts, the area under cotton is decreasing rapidly and in many places it is almost on the verge of extinction.The situation is extremely worrying in Dharashiv district, where cotton cultivation is now left in only 172 hectares of the 5.5 lakh hectare Kharif area. It has reached even lower levels in Kalamb taluka, where cotton is being grown in only 5 hectares out of 78,000 hectares. Where earlier this crop was mainly grown in thousands of hectares, now it has registered a decline of more than 99 percent. In other districts including Jalgaon, the area under cotton has been continuously decreasing for the last few years.Cotton, which became the major cash crop for farmers in the 1990s, is now proving to be a persistent loss-making business. Its cultivation costs around ₹ 35,000 per acre. Rising wage rates, a heavily labor-dependent harvesting system and rising expenditure on pesticides are increasing the burden on farmers. Invasion of pests like pink bollworm, irregular rainfall, climate change and declining soil fertility have further affected production.Although the government has consistently increased the minimum support price (MSP) of cotton—from ₹5,726 in 2021-22 to ₹7,521 in 2024-25—but farmers say the increase is not enough to keep up with rising costs. Many times the confidence of farmers has weakened due to getting lower prices than MSP in the market. Also the productivity in Maharashtra is only about 350 kg per hectare, which is less than the national average.Due to these circumstances, farmers are increasingly turning to crops like soybean and corn, because these have lower costs and yield income relatively quickly. The impact of the decline in cotton production is not limited to the fields only, but it is also affecting the ginning industry, employment and the supply chain of the textile industry.Experts believe that if policies like mechanization, better seeds, effective pest control and stable market prices are not addressed, this crop may completely disappear from many areas in the coming years.read more :- The rupee opened at 92.82, gaining 10 paise.
The rupee opened 10 paise higher at 92.82 against the dollar.On Monday, the Indian rupee opened 10 paise higher against the dollar at 92.82, whereas it had closed at 92.92 on Friday.Read More :- Seed Shortage Ahead of Cotton Sowing; Target of 2.9 Lakh Hectares at Risk
Crisis Over Seed Availability Ahead of Cotton Sowing; Concerns Mount Regarding 2.9 Lakh Hectare TargetThe onset of the Kharif season is imminent, and with the arrival of Akshaya Tritiya, cotton sowing is set to begin; however, the situation regarding the stocking and sale of seeds remains unclear this year. Uncertainty persists in the market as the administration has yet to issue the necessary permissions. The lack of timely guidelines has also heightened the risk of substandard and uncertified seeds finding their way into the market.Statistics from the Agriculture Department further underscore the gravity of this issue. Out of 783 seed samples collected over the past two years, 54 were found to be substandard—meaning approximately 7 percent of the seeds failed to meet quality standards. This situation indicates that low-quality seeds are already present in the market, posing a significant risk to farmers.This year, a target has been set to sow cotton across approximately 2.9 lakh hectares in the district. Given such substantial demand, the availability of seeds is critical; however, due to the lack of official authorization, the stocking and distribution of certified seeds have yet to commence. Consequently, farmers are in a state of confusion, and in many areas, they are heading to the market to purchase seeds without having access to accurate information.Proposed Crop Area for Kharif 2026For the Kharif 2026 season, sowing is proposed across a total area of 4.16 lakh hectares within the district. The major crops included are as follows:Maize: 77,000 hectares (the most prominent cereal crop)Total Cereal Crops: 78,000 hectaresPulses: 8,228 hectares (Black Gram, Green Gram, Pigeon Pea)Oilseeds: 80,000 hectares (Soybean accounts for over 78,000 hectares)Cotton: 290,000 hectares (the largest cash crop)Other Kharif and Horticultural Crops: 42,000 hectares*Threat to Production Posed by Substandard Seeds*Experts state that substandard seeds lead to reduced germination rates, hinder plant growth, and result in a decline in overall production, thereby causing direct financial losses to farmers. Complaints regarding such issues have surfaced in the district on previous occasions as well. Consequently, farmers are being advised to purchase seeds exclusively from authorized vendors and to ensure they obtain a proper receipt or bill for their purchase.If timely permissions and clear guidelines are not issued, the repercussions will extend beyond just production levels; they could also have a severe adverse impact on farmers' incomes.*Seed Scam Incidents Have Surfaced Previously*Farmers in the Khargone district previously suffered heavy losses due to substandard bitter gourd seeds. Forty-eight farmers had cultivated crops across approximately 100 acres using seeds procured from a high-tech greenhouse nursery in Sirlay village; however, the resulting yield was poor. The farmers allege that the 'Robusta' variety seeds supplied by the company BASF were defective. Despite the plants flowering, no fruits developed, and the entire crop was ruined.The farmers escalated their complaint regarding this matter all the way to the Union Minister of Agriculture, following which a case was registered against the concerned company at the Manawar Police Station in the Dhar district.read more :- Support to textile sector amid crisis
Preparation to provide relief to textile industry amid West Asia crisisNew Delhi: The Textiles Ministry is working on several relief measures to secure the supply of raw materials and reduce cost pressure amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The ministry has proposed reduction in import duty and some regulatory relaxations, so that the industry can maintain production and remain competitive in the global market.The proposed steps include reducing import duty on rayon pulp and select cotton varieties, as well as temporarily suspending anti-dumping duty on certain types of yarn. Besides this, the Ministry has also sought removal of Minimum Import Price (MIP) on certain knitted fabrics in talks with the Agriculture and Finance Ministries.According to an official, discussions are going on with the Agriculture Ministry regarding reduction in fees. While some parties are in favor of removing the duty due to inadequate production in the country, emphasis is also being laid on giving priority to the interests of farmers.Meanwhile, readymade garments exports declined 19% year-on-year in March due to supply constraints and shipping problems in West Asia. In such a situation, the government is encouraging the industry to move towards new markets in East Asia.It is noteworthy that last year the government had given exemption from 11% duty on cotton import for four months, so that the impact of American tariff could be balanced. India mainly imports special cotton varieties such as extra-long staple, often from the US and Egypt. At the same time, rayon pulp is mainly imported from Europe, on which currently there is a duty of 5%.Recently, the government has also given full customs duty exemption on 40 petrochemical products in view of the situation in West Asia, 29 of which are used in the textile industry, especially in the production of man-made fibres.Additionally, the Ministry is also in talks with the Finance Ministry for removal or deferment of the proposed anti-dumping duty on Elastomeric Fiber Yarn and Viscose Rayon Filament Yarn. These products are mainly imported from China and Singapore.read more :- Rupee higher 02 paise to close at 92.92 per dollar
The Indian rupee on Friday higher 02 paise to close at 92.92 per dollar, while it opened at 92.94 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 504.86 points or 0.65 percent at 78,493.54, and the Nifty was up 156.80 points or 0.65 percent at 24,353.55. About 2906 shares advanced, 1233 shares declined, and 152 shares unchanged.read more :- The rupee opened at 92.94 gaining 25 paise.
The rupee opened at 92.94 against the dollar, up 25 paise.On Friday, the Indian rupee opened 25 paise higher against the dollar at 92.94, whereas it had closed at 93.19 on Thursday.Read More :- The rupee closed 09 paise higher against the dollar at 93.19
The Indian rupee on Thursday higher 09 paise to close at 93.19 per dollar, while it opened at 93.28 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 122.56 points or 0.16 percent at 77,988.68, and the Nifty was down 34.55 points or 0.14 percent at 24,196.75. About 2688 shares advanced, 1468 shares declined, and 128 shares unchanged.read more :- Khandesh Cotton: Low Arrivals, Strong Prices
Khandesh Cotton Market: Arrivals decreased, signs of strengthening in pricesCotton market in Khandesh region is currently in the news due to limited arrivals and decreasing production. In the current situation, about 3,000 to 3,500 quintals of cotton are arriving daily across the country, which is much less as compared to the last season. Due to less supply, there is a gradual improvement in prices in the market.While at the beginning of the season (mid-October), 6,000 to 7,000 bales of cotton were arriving in the market every day, now a sharp decline has been recorded in the arrivals. According to experts, production has been affected this year due to reduction in cotton cultivation, disease on the crop and heavy rains.The maximum purchase rate of cotton at the rural level is currently around ₹ 8,000 per quintal, but due to less stock with the farmers, they are not able to take full advantage of this price. Most of the farmers have already sold their produce between February and March, due to which the supply in the market has further reduced.The arrival is expected to be limited to 1,500 to 2,000 quintals in the coming 10 to 15 days. This is the reason why the possibility of a major fall in prices is considered less.The low arrivals are also impacting ginning and pressing units in Khandesh and surrounding areas, where operations have slowed down. Variation in prices is being seen in different regions, but the level of ₹8,000 per quintal remains high for good quality cotton.The situation on the production front is more worrying. This year, in many areas the production has been only 80 kg to 1 quintal per acre. Heavy rains have caused widespread damage to the crop, leading to a major decline in total production. It is estimated that this time the target of producing 20 lakh bales will not be achieved in Khandesh.Overall, the cotton market currently remains bullish due to low production and limited arrivals, while stock shortage remains a major challenge for farmers.read more :- Textile-apparel exports decline in FY26 due to weak demand
India’s Textile & Apparel Exports Slip in FY26 Amid Weak DemandIndia’s textile and apparel exports declined by 2.22% in FY26 compared to the previous fiscal year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce. The downturn comes a year after the United States imposed higher tariffs, which have continued to impact export performance.In March 2026, exports fell sharply by 14.02% year-on-year, reflecting weakening demand and ongoing trade pressures.A detailed analysis by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industries shows that textile exports dropped by 2.86% during FY26, while apparel exports declined by 1.36%. The slowdown was even more pronounced in March, with textile exports decreasing by 9.91% and apparel exports contracting significantly by 18.99% compared to the same period last year.Overall, the combined textile and apparel exports for March 2026 recorded a year-on-year decline of 14.02%.Meanwhile, raw cotton imports surged by nearly 55% during FY26. This increase followed the government’s decision to ease import duties for a limited period, from August 28, 2025, to December 31, 2025.read more :- The rupee opened at 93.28, gaining 09 paise.
The rupee opened at 93.28/USD, up 09 paise.On Thursday, the Indian rupee opened at 93.28 against the dollar, gaining 09 paise, whereas it had closed at 93.37 on Wednesday.READ MORE :- Rupee Drops 20 Paise, Ends at 93.37 Against Dollar
The Indian rupee weakened by 20 paise on Wednesday to settle at 93.37 against the US dollar, compared to its opening price of 93.17 in the morning.Meanwhile, equity markets ended on a strong note, with the Sensex surging 1,263.67 points, or 1.64 percent, to close at 78,111.24, and the Nifty climbing 388.65 points, or 1.63 percent, to settle at 24,231.30.read more :- Major Blow to Textile Industry, ₹4,000 Crore Loss: Raees Shaikh
Maharashtra's textile industry suffered a loss of ₹4,000 crore: MLA Raees ShaikhSamajwadi Party's Bhiwandi MLA Rais Shaikh said on Tuesday that due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the state's textile industry has suffered a loss of about ₹4,000 crore in just one month.Bhiwandi in Thane district, a major textile hub of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, has been worst affected by the crisis. The MLA has demanded an immediate financial support package for the industry and warned that if timely steps are not taken, there is a danger of the industry coming to a standstill. This may also affect the jobs of millions of skilled and unskilled workers.In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the MLA said that due to rising prices of cotton and yarn, disruption in the supply of raw materials and blockage in export channels, mills are facing pressure to stop production two days a week.In this letter sent on April 10, citing the data of the State Textile Corporation, it has been said that the industry suffered huge losses due to the halt in exports in March 2026.There are about 9.48 lakh power looms operating in Maharashtra, which is about 39% of the total power looms in the country, apart from this there are also about 4,000 hand looms. This industry is considered to be the biggest employment generating sector in the state after agriculture.read more :- Cotton Procurement Policy to Change: Bhavantar Scheme to Replace MSP
Change in Cotton Procurement Policy: Preparations Underway to Implement ‘Bhavantar Scheme’ Instead of MSP ProcurementA major policy update regarding the cotton market has emerged. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is now taking steps toward implementing the ‘Bhavantar Scheme’ (Price Difference Scheme) instead of directly procuring cotton at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). A pilot project for this new system is set to be launched in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during the 2026-27 season. The industry has welcomed this proposal and has demanded its implementation across the entire country.Until now, the government provided a safety net to farmers by procuring cotton at the MSP through the CCI whenever market prices dipped. However, over the last two seasons, the CCI faced immense pressure and was compelled to procure over 100 lakh bales of cotton. Despite this effort, not all farmers were able to avail the benefits of the MSP.In light of this challenge, a meeting was held in December 2024, chaired by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, to deliberate on how to ensure better benefits reach the farmers. During this meeting, the decision was taken to move forward with the ‘Bhavantar Scheme.’What is the Bhavantar Scheme?Under this scheme, farmers will sell their cotton in the open market. If the prevailing market price falls below the MSP, the difference between the two prices will be deposited directly into the farmer's account via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).For instance, if the MSP is ₹8,110 per quintal and a farmer receives ₹7,000 in the open market, the government will directly transfer the difference of ₹1,110 into their bank account.How will payments be processed?This scheme will be implemented under the Central Government's PM-AASHA program. Registered farmers will be able to sell their cotton at mandis (agricultural markets) at their own convenience, and the amount representing the price difference will be credited directly to their bank accounts.What are the concerns?Experts believe that while the scheme appears effective on paper, its ultimate success will depend heavily on its effective implementation. Rather than relying solely on the Bhavantar scheme, the option of MSP-based procurement should also remain available. Imposing a specific time limit on the scheme could increase the potential for market manipulation. Benefits for the Industry and Farmers Farmers will have the freedom to sell their produce at any time, according to their needs. They will receive the benefit of the MSP even if market prices fall. Industries will have access to cotton at prevailing market rates. This could make cotton, yarn, and textile exports more competitive in the global market.Overall, the ‘Bhavantar Scheme’ has the potential to bring about a significant transformation in the cotton market; however, its success will depend on its transparent and effective implementation.read more :- Threat to pulses, soybean and cotton crops due to weak monsoon
| title | Created At | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Preparations for Cotton Sowing Underway in Alwar; Bumper Yield Expected | 20-04-2026 16:46:48 | view |
| The rupee fell 30 paise to close at 93.12 against the US dollar. | 20-04-2026 15:38:44 | view |
| CCI increases cotton prices, sales cross 2.93 lakh bales | 20-04-2026 15:09:37 | view |
| “Cotton crisis in Maharashtra: Declining cultivation and changing attitude of farmers” | 20-04-2026 12:09:17 | view |
| The rupee opened at 92.82, gaining 10 paise. | 20-04-2026 09:22:46 | view |
| Seed Shortage Ahead of Cotton Sowing; Target of 2.9 Lakh Hectares at Risk | 18-04-2026 13:08:08 | view |
| Support to textile sector amid crisis | 17-04-2026 16:25:06 | view |
| Rupee higher 02 paise to close at 92.92 per dollar | 17-04-2026 15:46:30 | view |
| The rupee opened at 92.94 gaining 25 paise. | 17-04-2026 09:24:15 | view |
| The rupee closed 09 paise higher against the dollar at 93.19 | 16-04-2026 15:40:05 | view |
| Khandesh Cotton: Low Arrivals, Strong Prices | 16-04-2026 11:41:14 | view |
| Textile-apparel exports decline in FY26 due to weak demand | 16-04-2026 11:23:57 | view |
| The rupee opened at 93.28, gaining 09 paise. | 16-04-2026 09:21:48 | view |
| Rupee Drops 20 Paise, Ends at 93.37 Against Dollar | 15-04-2026 15:51:58 | view |
| Major Blow to Textile Industry, ₹4,000 Crore Loss: Raees Shaikh | 15-04-2026 12:18:44 | view |
| Cotton Procurement Policy to Change: Bhavantar Scheme to Replace MSP | 15-04-2026 11:59:26 | view |
