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 Indian Rupee lower 7 Paise to87.33 Against US DollarThe Indian rupee on Monday fell 7 paise to close at 87.33 per dollar, while it opened at 87.26 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 217.41 points or 0.29 percent at 74,115.17, and the Nifty was down 92.20 points or 0.41 percent at 22,460.30. About 1147 shares advanced, 2776 shares declined, and 140 shares unchanged.read more :- Shock to Punjab's cotton belt: 71 percent decline in cotton production, many reasons including lack of quality seeds

Punjab Cotton Production Plummets 71% Due to Seed ShortageAccording to the report of the Cotton Association of India, cotton production and cultivation area in Punjab is continuously decreasing. The Malwa region, which is known for cotton production, has been particularly affected. Farmers are now turning to other crops like paddy and wheat, causing a setback to crop diversification efforts.The cotton producing belt of Punjab has suffered a massive decline of 71 percent in cotton production in the last five years. Along with this, the area under cotton cultivation has also come down to half.Farmers are moving away from cotton cultivation due to pink bollworm infestation, lack of quality seeds and pesticides. The state government has now demanded the Center to provide BG3 seeds so that cotton cultivation can be revived.Latest statusDecline in production: From 7.73 lakh bales in 2020-21 to 2.20 lakh bales in 2024-25.Reduction in cultivation area: From 2.52 lakh hectares to 1 lakh hectare.Government demand: Provide BG3 seeds from the Centre.Concern: Farmers turning to paddy and wheat, which will increase pressure on groundwater level.Status of other states: Cotton production in Haryana and Rajasthan is better than Punjab.Setback to diversification effortsAccording to the report of the Cotton Association of India, cotton production and cultivation area in Punjab is continuously decreasing. The Malwa region, which is known for cotton production, has been particularly affected. Farmers are now turning to other crops like paddy and wheat, causing a setback to crop diversification efforts.The state government has urged the central government to provide BG3 variety of seeds, which can help reduce the infestation of pink bollworm. According to the agriculture department, if the pink bollworm continues to affect cotton cultivation, farmers will completely switch to paddy cultivation, putting further pressure on groundwater levels.Haryana and Rajasthan aheadHaryana and Rajasthan are ahead of Punjab in cotton production. In 2024-25, Haryana cultivated cotton in 4.76 lakh hectares and produced 9.75 lakh bales, while Rajasthan cultivated it in 6.62 lakh hectares and produced 19.76 lakh bales.read more :-Cotton imports increase despite pressure on Indian cotton prices

Indian Cotton Imports Grow Despite Price StrainIncreasing import of raw and waste cotton in the last seven months has brought to fore the urgent need for measures to improve cotton productivity in India.Cotton imports were to the tune of $104 million in August 2024, $134.2 million in September 2024, $127.71 million in October, $170.73 million in November, and $142.89 million in December, 2024. In January this year, it stood at $184.64 million.Comparably, the imports were $74.4 million in August 2023, $39.91 million in September 2023, $36.68 million in October 2023, $30.61 million in November 2023, and $29.47 million in December 2023. In January 2024, the imports were $19.62 million.Meanwhile, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured close to 100 lakh bales of Indian cotton that has come into the market since the beginning of the new season on October 1, 2024. In the peak cotton arrival season in December 2024, the CCI bought almost 60% of the daily arrivals at the minimum support price (MSP). The price of the Shankar 6 variety of cotton on Saturday was ₹52,500 a quintal.Jaipal, a cotton farmer in Telangana, said at the beginning of the season that farmers are not happy because yield is less. “International cotton prices are weak and mills are able to buy from there,” he said.Kurbur Shanthakumar, president of Karnataka State Federation of Farmer Associations, said the cost of production per quintal is ₹9,000 and the MSP is ₹7,235. But, brokers were buying in the open market at only ₹5,000 to ₹5,500 per quintal.The Union Budget announced in February has a Cotton Mission aimed at improving productivity.For the Indian textile industry, international cotton prices are weak and with export demand looking up for garments and home textiles, there is a need for the textile industry to be internationally competitive. More than 60% of garments exported are cotton-based. Extra Long Staple cotton can be imported duty free and exporters can import cotton without duty under Advance Authorisation. The mills seem to have imported cotton as international cotton prices were lower than Indian prices and the imports have not disturbed the local market, industry sources said.“Brazil is an aggressive seller [in the international market]. Australia, the U.S., Africa, and Brazil were all comfortably placed in prices till a few days ago. Indian cotton prices were higher compared with these countries. The Indian textile mills took a calculated risk and imported in spite of 11% duty as Indian cotton and yarn are relatively over priced. The Indian government and textile industry should look at boosting demand so that textile exports increase and cotton prices remain in parity for the producers and processors. It is also very critical to maintain ‘fibre security’ for the mills by increasing cotton productivity and area,” Manish Daga, president of the All India Cotton Farmers Producers Organisations Association, said.read more :-Rupee Declines by 38 Paise, Opening at 87.26 vs US Dollar

In relation to the US dollar, the rupee opens 38 paise lower at 87.26.The Indian rupee on Monday opened 38 paise lower at 87.26 against the US dollar, as against the close at 86.88 on Friday.The Indian rupee opened 38 paise lower on March 10 due to concerns over global trade despite the easing dollar index.read more :-Indian Rupee higher 23 Paisa, Ends at 86.88 per Dollar 

Indian Rupee Climbs 23 Paisa, Ends at 86.88 Against US DollarThe Indian rupee on friday higher 23 paise to close at 86.88 per dollar, while it had opened at 87.11 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 7.51 points or 0.01 percent at 74,332.58, and the Nifty was up 7.80 points or 0.03 percent at 22,552.50. About 2431 shares advanced, 1400 shares declined, and 120 shares unchanged.read more :-Insurance claim to Haryana cotton farmers was Rs 281 crore, but govt, firm reduced it to Rs 80 crore

Haryana Cotton Farmers' Insurance Claim Slashed from Rs 281 Crore to Rs 80 Crore by Govt and CompanyAn alleged "fraud" by way of denying the insurance claims of cotton farmers in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts during the Kharif 2023 season had been brought to the attention of the government by some farmer activists.The activists, who submitted a complaint to the state government, alleged that the farmers had been assessed a total insurance claim of Rs 281.5 crore in Bhiwani district on the basis of the Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE).However, the insurance firm later approached higher authorities to challenge the insurance amount, which referred the matter to the State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC).The STAC took a decision to approve technical yield assessment for cotton crop insurance claims.Based on this technical assessment, the insurance claim was reduced to just Rs 80 crore.More shockingly, the activists alleged that this STAC was a defunct body when it called a meeting and took the decision. Dr Ram Kanwar, a farmer activist, alleged that the matter of insurance claims was referred to the STAC, an advisory body whose term had expired on August 1, 2024.However, the Director of Agriculture, Rajnarayan Kaushik, and the Joint Director (Statistics), Rajiv Misra, allegedly convened a meeting of this defunct committee on August 20, 2024, and took a decision to approve technical yield assessment for cotton crop insurance claims.Thus, he alleged, the body was not authorised to take any decision after its term had expired on August 1, 2024.Kanwar said that the matter regarding the settlement of cotton crop insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for Kharif 2023 for two districts - Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts has taken serious connotations with the denial of about Rs 200 crore of claims of the farmers in the wake of a decision taken by a redundant body.They have submitted the complaint to the chief minister for action against the officials responsible for the alleged fraud with the farmers and to ensure the insurance claims of the farmers.Dayanand Punia, a farmer activist in Siwani tehsil of Bhiwani district, informed that as per the CCE, 34 villages in Siwani block were set to get insurance claims for cotton loss, but the technical assessment showed that about 20 villages had no insurance claim.Punia said that they would not tolerate this injustice regarding the crop insurance of their cotton fields for the year 2023."Despite having insured their crops, the Agriculture Department conducted village-wise crop cutting surveys and determined the per-acre compensation for each village. However, the insurance company, in collusion with the government, rejected the department's report," he alleged.Punia further alleged that the insurance firm claimed that satellite reports did not show any significant crop damage and termed it a scam."We will stage a demonstration at the Siwani office in SDM Office on March 10," he said.Kanwar said that as per government guidelines, the claims should be settled based on Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) conducted by state officials. However, the company allegedly refused to honor these claims and instead pushed for an alternative method—technical yield assessment—which is only permitted for wheat and paddy, not for cotton.The complaint further states that the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) of Bhiwani, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, had also rejected the objections raised by the insurance company and directed it to release payments within seven days. "Instead of complying with the DMLC, the insurance firm challenged the decision before the Director of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare," he stated. The Director, Agriculture Rajnarayan Kaushik, however, did not respond to the calls and messages for his version.read more :- Vidarbha farmers demand HTBt cotton seeds to improve yield

To increase production, farmers in Vidarbha want HTBt cotton seeds.Nagpur : Farmers from across Vidarbha, especially Yavatmal, have urged the govt to make available the latest Herbicide-Tolerant BT cotton (HTBt) seeds to improve the crop yield in the coming season. The farmers claimed that over the years, pests have evolved and are now immune to the Bt cotton variety and pose a major threat to the crops.The farmers were speaking at a gathering organised by the National Farmers Empowerment Initiative on Thursday. Addressing the media, a group of cotton farmers of Vidarbha put forth the demand, saying that the pink bollworm, a major threat to cotton crop, has become resistant to the Cry1Ac toxin produced by the Bt cotton."Bt cotton has been a huge help to us for many years now, but we need the latest research and innovations in terms of cotton seeds," Ganesh Nanote, a cotton farmer from Akola, said. Nanote said that other cotton-producing countries, like the USA, Brazil and Australia have already adopted the HTBt cotton, and Indian farmers too deserve the same opportunity.Farmer leader Milind Damble said that Yavatmal's soil has a high limestone content, which makes agriculture a difficult task. "A majority of farmer suicides are caused because the ryots are not able to produce enough yield," he said.Damble further highlighted the water scarcity in the district saying that in the winter months, they receive water only two to three days a month. "The situation eases up a little during the monsoon, from June when we get water 15 - 17 days," he said. "Due to the evolved bollworm, we have to spray pesticides on our crops, and it takes 10 men to tend to just one hectare of land," he said. Damble added that if HTBt cotton is introduced, then the requirement of labour per hectare will fall to just two.Vidya Warhade, a farmer, said that while cotton is their main crop, they also grow vegetables and other crops to supplement farm income. "The current yield of cotton is not enough for us to sustain. We need to implement measures that will help us increase cotton yield," she said.Another farmer from Yavatmal, Prakash Puppalwar, said that cotton is a global commodity and has high export potential. "For us to stand ahead or at least be at par with the other competitors across the globe, the govt must take some progressive steps," he said.The farmers have demanded that the policymakers interact with them directly to better understand the grassroots level issues rather than relying on third parties for the same.read more :-Rupee Holds Steady at 87.11 vs Dollar

Rupee Remains Stable at 87.11 Against US DollarIndian rupee opened at 87.11 per dollar on Friday against previous close of 87.11.read more :-Indian garments, textiles, yarn may see demand boost as US cotton prices dip amid China’s retaliatory tariffs

As US cotton prices decline due to China's retaliatory tariffs, demand for Indian clothing, textiles, and yarn may increase.The US cotton market’s decline as a result of China’s retaliatory tariffs may increase demand for Indian clothing, yarn, and textile exports.The industry anticipates that India will gain market share in the US and Europe as a result of the retaliatory tariff, which will decrease the competitiveness of Chinese textile exports and boost the availability of superior quality US cotton at lower prices.After China applied retaliatory tariffs of 10–15 per cent, US cotton prices dropped to their lowest levels in four years. With a 31 per cent global market share for its less expensive cotton, India leads the world in the export of cotton yarn.Trade estimates indicate that a decline in domestic production caused India’s imports of cotton to rise by more than 62 per cent in 2024–25 compared to the previous year.The majority of the cotton that India imports from the US falls into the extra-long staple (ELS) category. According to Siddhartha Rajagopal, executive director of the Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council (Texprocil), Indian textile manufacturers may find it financially feasible to increase their imports of US cotton if US cotton prices fall as a result of decreased demand from China.Despite being largely self-sufficient in cotton production, India imports certain ELS cotton and clean and contamination-free cotton to satisfy buyer or quality standards.  India purchased US $ 570 million worth of raw cotton from throughout the world between April 2023 and March 2024, with US $ 221 million coming from the US, accounting for 38.7 per cent of the total imports, according to industry data.The US, with its better Extra Long Staple Cotton (ELS), would also try to diversify its cotton exports and turn towards India as a major trading partner because of the limited access in the Chinese market, Rajagopal stated.The tariffs are expected to affect Chinese textile products’ ability to compete in global markets, giving Indian exporters a chance to increase their market share, particularly in countries like the US and the EU.The demand for Indian cotton yarn, textiles, and clothing may increase as a result of this change, boosting export levels.  According to Rajagopal, exporters would have more alternatives for pricing as the market for Indian cotton products expands, which will boost their profit margins.read more :-Rupee closed 22 Paise lower at 87.11 Against US Dollar

Indian Rupee lower 22 Paise to87.11 Against US DollarThe Indian rupee on thursday lower 22 paise to close at 87.11 per dollar, while it opened at 86.89 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 609.86 points or 0.83 percent at 74,340.09, and the Nifty was up 207.40 points or 0.93 percent at 22,544.70. About 2857 shares advanced, 979 shares declined, and 104 shares unchanged.read more :- Int’l recognition to HAU scientists for finding cotton disease pathotype

HAU Scientists Earn International Recognition for Discovering Cotton Disease PathotypeHisar: Scientists from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar, have identified a new pathotype of a severe disease that impacts the cotton crop.HAU vice-chancellor Prof B R Kamboj said on Wednesday that this is the first time that the pathotype (VCG 0111, Race-1) of fusarium wilt has been detected in India.He said scientists had already initiated efforts to manage the disease and remain optimistic about finding an effective solution to it.The discovery has received recognition from Elsevier, a Dutch publishing house specialising in scientific, technical, and medical research. An HAU study on the pathotype has been published in the journal Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, making it the first-ever report on this new cotton pathotype.prof Kamboj lauded the research team for the achievement, emphasising the importance of early identification of emerging agricultural threats. He urged scientists to maintain strict monitoring of the disease's spread and implement swift, effective management practices to mitigate its impact on cotton production.HAU director of research Rajbir Garg highlighted the growing menace posed by fusarium wilt, which now affects both ‘desi' and American cotton varieties with increased aggression.Lead researcher Anil Kumar Saini stressed the team's ongoing efforts to decode the disease's outbreak and develop targeted mitigation measures, safeguarding India's cotton industry.read more :-Rupee opens 7 paise up at 86.89 against US dollar