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Tech Boosts Cotton Yields: SABC StudyTechnological interventions such as drip irrigation, fertigation and integrated pest management can enhance cotton productivity, showed a study by South Asia Biotechnology Centre.SABC had conducted the high-tech regenerative cotton demonstration during the Kharif 2024 season at its North India High-Tech R&D Station at Gindran village, Sirsa district of Haryana. The demonstration has provided compelling evidence that technological interventions can significantly enhance cotton productivity, resource efficiency and sustainability.The adoption of drip fertigation systems ensures higher germination rates and optimal plant stand, contributing to better crop establishment and yield potential, while farmers utilising micro-irrigation techniques such as drip systems can achieve up to 60 per cent savings in irrigation water, compared to the conventional cotton farming, said Bhagirath Chaudhary, Founder Director, SABC.Nutrient uptake efficiencyAlso the drip fertigation leads to significant improvements in nutrient uptake efficiency, with 54 per cent for nitrogenous fertilizers, 33 per centfor phosphoric fertilizers, and 79 per cent for sulphur fertilizers, ensuring better croр nutrition and reduced input wastage, Chaudhary said.Further the integration of drip fertigation with advanced agronomic practices demonstrated substantial yield advantages, he said. As against the highest yield of 8-9 quintal per acre in Haryana last year, the average yields in the demonstration unit were significantly higher at 13 quintal per acre, Chaudhary said.SABC has recommended that the drip fertigation should be widely promoted as a standard agronomic practice to improve water and nutrient efficiency in cotton farming. It has also suggested that the integrated pest management (IPM), including mating disruption technology (PBKnot) and pheromone traps for monitoring, should be scaled up to reduce pesticide usage, minimise pest incidence, and ensure environmental protection.The adoption of water storage tanks and solar-powered irrigation systems alongside drip fertigation can play a crucial role in climate change mitigation and sustainable water management. The success of these technology-driven demonstrations serves as a pathway for increased adoption across the cotton-growing belt, offering a ray of hope for farmers, ginners, spinners and textile industry of North India.By embracing precision agriculture, resource-efficient practices, and modern pest management strategies, the North cotton growing zone can revitalise cotton cultivation, enhance productivity, and ensure long-term sustainability for both farmers and the industry. In summary, the successful demonstration of these innovative technologies can become a ray of hope for farmers and cotton value chain partners of the North cotton growing region which results in the increase of area, productivity and production of cotton through technology adoption.”read more :-Rupee lower 25 Paisa Against Dollar, Closes at 85.44

The Indian rupee ended 25 paisa down on Friday at 85.44 to the dollar, while it opened at 85.19 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 588.90 points or 0.74 percent at 79,212.53, and the Nifty was down 207.35 points or 0.86 percent at 24,039.35. About 682 shares advanced, 3138 shares declined, and 115 shares unchanged.read more :-Rupee opens 8 paise higher at 85.19 against dollar

In relation to the US dollar, the rupee opens 8 paise higher at 85.19.Indian rupee opened 8 paise higher at 85.19 per dollar on friday versus thursday 's close of 85.27.read more :- Donald Trump tariff news live updates: US says India could be first country to sign trade deal with Washington

India May Be First to Sign US Trade Deal, Says WashingtonAccording to the New York Post, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant has said that he expects India to be the first to sign a bilateral trade deal to avoid President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. The 26 per cent 'reciprocal' tariff on Indian exports to the US is currently on hold for 90 days, which is set to expire on July 8. However, like other countries, India is subject to a 10 per cent tariff under the current policy.According to the New York Post, Bessant told a roundtable of about a dozen reporters on Wednesday that trade talks with India are "very close" to reaching a successful conclusion because the world's most populous country does not have "that many tariffs"."India also has lower non-tariff trade barriers, obviously, there's no currency manipulation, very few government subsidies, so it's very easy to deal with Indians," Bessant said at a DC event organised on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.President Trump has demanded that other countries eliminate their tariff and non-tariff barriers on US goods, as well as close the US trade deficit, the New York Post said.Earlier on Tuesday in Jaipur, US Vice President JD Vance urged India to eliminate non-tariff barriers, give greater access to its markets and buy more US energy and military hardware, as he laid out a sweeping roadmap for deeper ties between the two countries for a "prosperous and peaceful" 21st century.read more :-Indian Rupee higher 32 Paisa, Ends at 85.27 per Dollar

Rupee Gains 32 Paise, Closes at 85.27 Against US DollarThe Indian rupee on thursday higher 32 paise to close at 85.27 per dollar, while it opened at 85.59 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 315.06 points or 0.39 percent at 79,801.43, and the Nifty was down 82.25 points or 0.34 percent at 24,246.70. About 1869 shares advanced, 1921 shares declined, and 144 shares unchanged.read more :- Rupee Opens 17 Paise Lower at 85.59

Indian Rupee Slips to 85.59, Down 17 Paise at Market OpenIndian rupee opened 17 paise lower at 85.59 per dollar on Thursday versus Wednesday's close of 85.42.read more :-Cotton Productivity: An autonomous organisation is needed for cotton productivity estimation; Experts in the field of cotton research and productivity enhancement are in demand

Establishing an Autonomous Body for Cotton Productivity Estimation and ResearchThe policy of increasing productivity at the beginning of the season and then gradually reducing it is implemented through domestic entities to put pressure on imports. This is the reason why cotton gets a low price during the season. Now there is a demand to reduce the import duty on imports to zero. Looking at this overall situation, experts in the field are demanding that the government set up an autonomous organisation to estimate cotton productivity.Domestic cotton productivity is low. It has been observed that pests and diseases are spreading as a result of climate change, which is also affecting productivity. The area under cotton cultivation in Punjab and Haryana has declined significantly in the last few years, as the pink bollworm infestation has gone out of control in both these states. In Maharashtra too, farmers are preferring maize crop over cotton, while in Gujarat farmers have given preference to groundnut.It is feared that the cotton acreage will decrease in both these states in the upcoming Kharif season. This is why we had to import twice the amount of cotton bales this year compared to last year. Last year 1.5 million bales were imported, and this year 3 million bales have been imported. While all this is happening, there is also talk that farmers are not getting the expected price. This is because the trade lobby has estimated higher productivity at the beginning of the season.Accordingly, cotton prices remain under pressure. Experts in the sector also said that after this, pressure is exerted to increase imports by claiming a decrease in productivity. The game being played is that if imports increase, prices will again come under pressure. That is why experts say that there should be a government system to estimate the productivity and production of cotton. It was also said that this will control the large fluctuations in the productivity declared at the commercial level and help farmers get good profits....It is supply and demand320 lakh bales demanded291 lakh bales produced3.3 million bales importedThere used to be a Cotton Advisory Board at the government level. Now it has been renamed as COCPC (Cotton Production and Consumption). It has four members: Union Agriculture Ministry, Cotton Association of India, Indian Spinning Mills Association and Cotton Corporation of India. Their meetings are held and productivity is estimated. So it is wrong to say that there is no such committee.read more :-Rupee Falls 15 Paisa, Closes at 85.42 Against US Dollar

Indian Rupee lower 15 Paisa, Ends at 85.42 per DollarThe Indian rupee on wednesday lower 15 paise to close at 85.42 per dollar, while it opened at 85.27 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 520.90 points or 0.65 percent at 80,116.49, and the Nifty was up 161.70 points or 0.67 percent at 24,328.95. About 1989 shares advanced, 1832 shares declined, and 141 shares unchanged.read more :-  End of US-China trade war? Trump now says tariffs on China will be 'significantly reduced'

Trump Hints at Big China Tariff ReductionsUS President Donald Trump has suggested that the historically high tariffs he has imposed on Chinese imports will not last long. Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that the 145% tariff rate will eventually be "significantly reduced", although he maintained a confident tone about the US bargaining position."145% is very high, and it won't be that high," Trump said. "No, it won't be anywhere near that high. It will be significantly reduced. But it won't be zero - it used to be zero. We were just ruined. China was cheating us.""We're going to be very nice, they're going to be very nice, and we'll see what happens. But eventually," he said, "they're going to have to make a deal because otherwise they won't be able to make a deal in the United States."President Trump says tariffs with China will be significantly reduced |Trump's change in tone came shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant warned behind closed doors that the ongoing US-China trade impasse could not be sustained. "Nobody thinks the current situation is sustainable," Bessant reportedly told investors at a JPMorgan Chase forum in Washington.The current tariff scenario sees multiple rounds of hikes, with Chinese imports now subject to tariffs totaling 145%. In response, China has imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125% on US exports.Electronics such as smartphones and semiconductors remain exempt, while a 20% "blanket" tariff linked to concerns over fentanyl remains in place.Formal negotiations between Washington and Beijing have not begun. However, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said more than 100 countries have expressed interest in the new trade arrangement following Trump's recent announcement of global tariffs - though China is not yet among them.Despite the absence of talks with Beijing, Levitt said the administration is "setting the stage" for a future deal with China and is "doing very well" on trade overall.Market reactions indicate cautious optimism. US stock indexes rose more than 2% after Bessant's comments, indicating that investors may be betting on a future easing of tensions - even if the road to any agreement is long.read more :-Rupee Opens 9 Paise Lower at 85.27 Against US Dollar

Indian Rupee Slips to 85.27, Down 9 Paise at Market OpenIndian rupee opened 9 paise lower at 85.27 per dollar on Wednesday versus Tuesday's close of 85.18.read more :-Cotton Price: Cotton arrivals have reduced, yet why is the price not increasing in the market?

Cotton Prices Steady Despite Drop in ArrivalsIn the last two-three weeks, the arrival of cotton in the domestic market has reduced significantly. Therefore, it was expected that there would be a good improvement in the price. However, the start of cotton sales by CCI has affected the price.The average price of cotton is between Rs 7,300 and Rs 7,800. Experts estimate that CCI's cotton sales and selling prices will continue to have an impact on the market in the future.Cotton production in the country has decreased this year. Production is estimated to be stable at 29.1 million bales. Of these, CCI bought about 1 crore million bales. That is, about 35 percent of the country's total production was purchased by CCI alone. This means that CCI is the largest cotton stockist in the country. Therefore, the market pays attention to how CCI sells cotton and determines the selling price. This will also affect the market.Production decreased in the country. But the industrial use of cotton is good. Therefore, there is a demand for cotton. On the other hand, cotton prices are low in the international market. Even when prices in the country were lower than the guaranteed price, prices in the international market were also low.Therefore, industries bought cotton as required. Industries have not shown interest in storage. Therefore, even though the price of cotton in the domestic market was lower than the guaranteed price, CCI continued to receive more cotton. Industrial purchases did not increase as expected.After the end of March, the arrival of cotton in the market decreased. In the last two weeks, the arrival was less than 50,000 bales and now it has come down to less than 40,000 bales. At present, about 35,000 bales are being received. Farmers were expecting that prices would rise after the arrival of their produce decreased significantly. But this does not seem to be happening. Prices are seen between Rs 7,300 and Rs 7,800.CCI's sales increasedAlthough farmers' cotton is coming to the market for sale in less quantity, CCI's sales have increased. CCI has sold 2.5 million bales of cotton out of the total goods purchased so far. It is also known that about one and a half lakh bales of cotton were sold on April 21.So far, the highest sales have been in Maharashtra. CCI has sold about 11.5 lakh bales of cotton in Maharashtra so far. More than 5 lakh bales were also sold in Telangana. About 4 lakh bales were sold in Gujarat.read more :-Rupee lower 6 Paisa Against Dollar, Closes at 85.18