Union minister predicts a cotton revolution initiated from Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: ICAR-CICR scientists are engaged in various advanced research activities, and this would help create a cotton revolution that would be initiated from Coimbatore, said Union minister for agriculture and farmers' welfare and rural development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday.

Chouhan, along with Union minister of textiles Giriraj Singh, took part in a Stakeholder Consultation on Improving Cotton Production programme at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore on Friday. The Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Coimbatore region centre, organized the programme.

The Union ministers inspected the functioning of equipment used for cotton farming and the process of spraying pesticides using a drone.

Later, they held discussions with cotton farmers and govt officials. Cotton farmers from various states, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, participated and shared their views on the challenges they face in cotton cultivation and cultivation methods. The Union ministers assured that steps would be taken to fulfil all the farmers' demands.

In the afternoon, farmers from Coimbatore, Sulur, Tirupur and Palladam areas, led by BJP state agriculture unit president G K Nagaraj, held a face-to-face discussion with the Union ministers and submitted their demands. Modakkurichi MLA C. Saraswathi and representatives of the farmers' association participated in this event.

Chouhan told reporters that measures to improve production and yields had been discussed. More specifics on pest control and types of diseases were discussed in the presence of the farmers.

"We are aiming to help farmers achieve better yields and encourage them to produce cotton types depending on the industry's needs. The ICAR scientists will study and research cotton infections. AI is also being integrated into farming for advanced solutions; as a result, AI smart traps are being deployed to identify and locate insects in the fields, especially the pink bollworm."

ICAR faculty highlighted that cotton exports had reached up to $10 billion and the income of six million cotton farmers increased 2-3 fold.