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India likely to receive Bangladesh-style zero-duty benefits on US cotton.India will receive yarn and cotton-related trade benefits similar to those extended to Bangladesh, the Commerce Ministry said, signaling a potential boost for the country’s textile and apparel exporters.According to the ministry, Indian textile and apparel exporters are expected to get zero-tariff benefits on garments made using US-origin cotton once the deal is signed. The move is seen as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral trade ties between India and the United States while ensuring competitive parity with regional players.The clarification comes amid political sparring over the trade deal. Responding to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said allegations that Bangladesh had secured better terms were incorrect.“He spread another lie in the Parliament that Bangladesh has got more benefits from the trade than India. Just as Bangladesh has a facility that if raw material is purchased from America, then if you process it and make cloth and export it, then it will.Goyal also reiterated that domestic agricultural interests have been protected under the broader arrangement. “Around 90% to 95% of farm products produced in India have been left out of the South Asian nation's trade deal with the US, in which the interests of farmers have been protected,” he said.read more :- Rupee opens 06 paise down at 90.66

Rupee opens 06 paise lower at 90.66/USD Indian rupee opened marginally lower at 90.66 per dollar on Friday versus previous close of 90.60.

Raichur MP G. Kumar Naik flags concerns over surge in cotton import, seeks stronger policy support for domestic growersExpressing concern over the declining domestic cotton production and rising imports, G. Kumar Naik, Lok Sabha Member from Raichur, has urged the Union Government to adopt a stable and farmer-centric cotton policy to protect growers in Karnataka and across India.On February 11, Mr. Naik said the data furnished by the Ministry of Textiles, in response to his starred question in the Lok Sabha revealed a worrying trend. Cotton imports into India increased by 39% in volume between 2020-21 and 2024-25 while domestic production declined sharply from 370 lakh bales in 2017-18 to 297.24 lakh bales in 2024-25.He said the simultaneous fall in production and productivity indicated ‘structural stress’ in the sector, and warned that policy inconsistency was undermining domestic farmers.Mr. Naik pointed out that cotton prices crashed in 2025 after the government removed import duty on cotton at a time when the country was facing global tariff pressure. He noted that cotton exports from the United States to India surged by over 200% between 2023-24 and 2024-25 while imports from Brazil rose by more than 1,000% during the same period.“India remains the world’s second-largest cotton producer after China, with Brazil close behind. Yet, we are increasingly depending on imports while our own farmers struggle with falling prices and rising input costs,” he said.He cautioned that if the current trajectory continues, India risks becoming heavily dependent on cotton imports, which could weaken domestic producers and compromise long-term agricultural security.Highlighting Karnataka’s performance, Mr. Naik said the State recorded the highest cotton yield in the southern zone, above the national average. Raichur, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts in the Kalyana Karnataka region had significant potential for expansion, provided sustained institutional support and investment were ensured.Referring to the Cotton Mission for Farmers, for which ₹500 crore was allocated in the 2025-26 Union Budget, Mr. Naik said the initiative did not find mention in the current year’s allocations. This, he said, raised concerns that the programme remained largely on paper without meaningful field-level implementation.“India cannot claim global leadership in cotton production while allowing its own farmers to bear the burden of inconsistent trade and agricultural policy,” he said, calling for a comprehensive and stable cotton strategy that safeguards domestic growers and strengthens long-term self-reliance.Cotton is a major crop in Raichur and several adjoining districts of north Karnataka. Thousands of farmers depend on the crop for their livelihood.read more :- India's GDP growth expected to be 6.9% in 2026: Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs estimates India's GDP growth at 6.9% in 2026Goldman Sachs estimates India's real GDP will grow at 6.9% in 2026 and 6.8% in 2027, above market consensus. The economy is projected to grow by 7.7% in 2025, despite challenges such as US tariffs.Inflation to remain at record-low level in 2025. Headline inflation averaged 2.2%, while it is expected to rise to 3.9% in 2026, close to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) target of 4%.RBI cuts rates by 125 basis points in 2025 and increases liquidity in the banking system. The scope for further cuts is limited, but an additional 25 basis points cut could be considered if US tariff uncertainty persists.In February, under the India-US trade agreement, tariffs on Indian goods were reduced from 25% to 18%. Goldman Sachs estimates that this could contribute an additional 0.2 percentage points annually to GDP growth and improve private investment.Regulatory relief given to banks, weak exchange rate, and tax concessions should support urban consumption in 2025. ₹6.3 trillion has been injected into the banking system as part of the recent liquidity measures, which will further boost credit growth. Rural demand is also expected to remain strong in 2026.The current account deficit stood at about 2.8% of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025, but the full-year deficit is likely to be limited to 0.7%. This could rise to $37 billion in 2026, mainly due to growth in non-oil and non-gold imports.read more :- Global cotton prices softened last month

Global cotton benchmarks softened last monthMost global cotton benchmarks moved lower than last month, with weakness intensifying in February. As selling pressure increased, the nearest March NY/ICE futures contract fell to a lifetime low of about 61 cents a pound, down from about 65 cents a pound in late January. The December contract followed a similar trend but saw lighter losses, falling from 69 cents to 67 cents a pound, according to Cotton Incorporated.The Cotlook A index slipped marginally to 73 cents a pound from 74, reflecting soft international sentiment.In China, CC index 3128B remained steady around 104 cents per pound, equivalent to about 16,000 RMB per ton. The renminbi remained broadly stable at around 6.95 RMB per USD, according to Cotton Incorporated's monthly economic paper – Cotton Market Fundamentals and Price Outlook – February 2026.Indian cotton prices declined from 78 cents to 76 cents a pound or ₹55,200 to ₹54,000 per candy. The rupee was trading near ₹91 per USD during this period.In Pakistan, prices rose to 67 to 70 cents per pound, or 15,500 to 16,000 PKR per maund (about 37.32 kg), before easing recently. Last month the Pakistani Rupee remained around 280 PKR per USD.Overall, global price movements reflected cautious demand conditions, with currency stability limiting sharp fluctuations in key producing sectors.read more :- Rupee fell 11 paise to close at 90.60 per dollar

The Indian rupee lower 11 paise to close at 90.60 per dollar on Thursday, compared to its opening price of 90.49 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 558.72 points or 0.66 percent at 83,674.92, and the Nifty was down 146.65 points or 0.57 percent at 25,807.20. About 1610 shares advanced, 2431 shares declined, and 141 shares unchanged.read more :- Farmers in trouble due to increase in cotton imports

Farmers face great problems due to increase in cotton importsBENGALURU: Concerns over rising cotton imports and growing distress among domestic growers reverberated in the Lok Sabha Wednesday, with Raichur MP Kumar Naik flagging mounting challenges faced by cotton farmers, especially in Karnataka.During Question Hour, Naik said that despite India being the world’s second-largest cotton producer, farmers were grappling with uncertainty although procurement under minimum support price (MSP) scheme was expanded over the years. He said a sharp rise in imports is undermining domestic growers.“India is the world’s secondlargest cotton producer after China, with Brazil close behind,” Naik said. “Yet, in a deeply alarming development, govt data shows that cottonimports from Brazil surged by over 1,000% year-on-year over the last two years. Similarly, imports from the US also increased 200% during the same period.” Highlighting the impact on farmers, he said: “They are struggling with falling prices, rising input costs, and continued policy uncertainty. If this continues, we risk being heavily dependent on imports, thereby weakening our farmers and compromising longterm agricultural security.”In reply, textiles minister Giriraj Singh told the House the Centre remained committed to protecting farmers’ interests. “Via MSP and based on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Cost and Prices (CACP), state and Central inputs, and productioncosts, we ensure farmers receive a minimum of 1.5 times the cost of production for their produce,” he said.Singh said that for 2025-26 season, MSP was fixed between Rs 7,710 and Rs 8,110 per quintal depending on quality — an increase of Rs 589 per quintal over the previous year. He also said authorities had opened 571 procurement centres across 149 districts in 11 cotton-growing states, and that over 90.5 lakh bales had been procured so far.Clarifying on the import policy, Singh said 11% duty on cotton was exempted between Aug and Dec 2025. “Subsequently, it was reintroduced in Jan 2026,” he said.But Naik argued that the temporary duty exemption had adverse consequences, emphasising domestic cotton prices had crashed amid global tariff pressures. Pointing to Karnataka’s performance, he said the state recorded the highest yield in the south, surpassing the national average. He said districts like Kalaburagi, Raichur and Yadgir had great potential if backed by strong institutional support.read more :- Textile industry affected by rising waste cotton prices

Recycled textile industry under pressure as waste cotton prices surgeCOIMBATORE: The recycled textile sector is coming under increasing strain due to a sharp rise in waste cotton prices, according to M. Jayapal of the Recycle Textile Federation.He said Indian cotton for the 2025–26 season, which opened in November at around ₹51,000 per candy, is now trading near ₹56,000. When cotton prices had earlier peaked at ₹56,000 per candy in September, spinning mills were selling comber waste—the primary raw material for open-end (OE) spinning mills—at about ₹102 per kg. Since then, comber waste prices have climbed steadily to ₹123–₹125 per kg, even as cotton prices have seen only moderate movement.Despite this sharp increase in input costs, yarn prices have not risen in tandem. During the Diwali season, OE yarn was sold at around ₹165 per kg for 20s warp and ₹148–₹150 per kg for weft. At present, even after a ₹23 per kg rise in waste cotton costs, mills are still being forced to sell warp yarn below ₹165 and weft below ₹155 per kg, resulting in sustained losses over the past three months.Jayapal added that labour shortages, higher production expenses, and weak demand for 30s count yarn have further worsened the situation. As a result, several mills have either reduced capacity or shifted focus to hosiery yarn production. Over 100 mills have reportedly exited grey yarn production in the last two years.The federation has urged the Centre and state government to introduce a transparent tender-based system for selling cotton waste, aimed at protecting MSMEs and ensuring stability across the textile value chain.M Jayapalread more :- CCI buys cotton worth ₹11,800 crore from Telangana

CCI Procures 29.50 Lakh Bales Cotton Worth Rs.11,800 Cr in Telangana.Hyderabad: The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured about 451 lakh quintals kapas, which is equivalent to 90 lakh bales under Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations. Out of which, 148 lakh quintals kapas equivalent to 29.50 lakh bales was procured in Telangana, valuing Rs.11,800 crore, through 8.60 lakh direct farmer transactions during cotton season 2025-26, according to the Ministry of Textiles.Out of 148 lakh quintals kapas procured in Telangana, 5.80 lakh quintals, valuing Rs.463 crore, have been procured in Mancherial district, and 1.21 lakh quintals, valuing Rs.97 crore, seed cotton has been procured in Peddapalli district. During cotton season 2025-26, additional procurement centres were opened by the CCI based on the prescribed eligibility criteria. Three procurement centers each were opened in the districts of Mancherial and Peddapalli after assessment of parameters such as minimum of 3,000 hectares under cotton cultivation, availability of a functional APMC, and the presence of at least one ginning and pressing factory.Opening of procurement centres by CCI is undertaken on the basis of these objective criteria and operational requirements to ensure effective MSP operations. The CCI in association with the Ministry of Textiles, prescribed norms for opening procurement centers to expand MSP outreach. These norms aimed to ensure that cotton farmers in every Taluka or Mandal having at least 3,000 hectares under cotton cultivation, a functional APMC, and at least one ginning or pressing factory are able to avail MSP benefits, while also reducing transportation distances and waiting time for farmers.Accordingly, during the cotton season 2025–26, under the jurisdiction of CCI’s three branches— Adilabad, Warangal, and Mahabubnagar—122 procurement centers were opened across 30 districts of Telangana, as compared to 110 centers during 2024–25. This included three procurement centers in Luxettipet, Chennur, and Bellampally in Mancherial district and three procurement centers in Peddapalli, Sulthanabad, and Kamanpur in Peddapalli district. This was stated by the Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita while responding to a question raised by MP Vamsi Krishna Gaddam on cotton farmers in Telangana in Lok Sabha two days ago.read more :- Rupee opened 21 paise stronger at 90.49 per dollar

 Rupee opens 21 paise up at 90.49/USD Indian rupee opened higher by paise 21 at 90.49 per dollar on Thursday against previous close of 90.70.read more :- Rupee weakens against dollar, falls 10 paise to close at 90.70.

On Wednesday, the Indian rupee closed at 90.70 against the dollar, while it had opened at 90.60 in the morning.At the close, the BSE Sensex stood at 84,233.64, down 40.28 points or 0.05 per cent, while the NSE Nifty50 edged higher to 25,953.85, up 18.7 points or 0.07 per cent.read more :- CAI: Impact on India due to US-Bangladesh deal