Centre Launches ₹600 Cr Kapas Kranti Cotton Mission

The Government of India has launched the ₹600 crore Kapas Kranti Mission, a bold initiative to enhance long-staple cotton cultivation and improve cotton productivity across major growing regions. The mission was announced in Hyderabad by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who detailed the plan to scale successful cultivation models and promote scientific and technological innovation in cotton farming.

Objectives of the Kapas Kranti Mission

The Kapas Kranti Mission is designed to,

• Promote High-Density Plantation (HDP) practices to increase yield
• Encourage adoption of scientific cultivation methods
• Introduce technology-enabled procurement and selling platforms
• Strengthen farmer education and training through exposure visits

The mission aligns with the government’s vision of enhancing self-reliance in cotton production and improving income security for cotton farmers.

Learning from Maharashtra: HDP Success Model

• Maharashtra, particularly the Akola region, has seen significant success with High-Density Plantation (HDP) methods in cotton farming.
• Farmers there have achieved notable increases in yield using specialized seed varieties, closer plant spacing, and modern agronomic practices.
• The Kapas Kranti Mission aims to replicate these outcomes in Telangana, where over 24 lakh farmers are engaged in cotton cultivation.
• Farmers from Telangana will be taken on exposure visits to Akola to witness the techniques first-hand.
• These field trips will be followed by seed distribution and training to encourage HDP adoption back home.

Strengthening Cotton Procurement: Tech & Transparency

• Alongside the cultivation push, the Centre is modernizing the cotton procurement process through a new mobile app and grassroots outreach.

Kapas Kisan App

A dedicated mobile application called “Kapas Kisan App” will be launched after Diwali. This app will allow farmers to,

• Book slots for selling cotton produce
• Schedule sales to avoid long queues
• Eliminate middlemen
• Ensure fair pricing and transparency

Awareness campaigns are already underway via pamphlets, social media, WhatsApp, and local languages, ensuring maximum reach. Agriculture officers and tech-savvy rural youth are assisting farmers in registering and navigating the app.

Procurement Infrastructure

• 122 procurement centres will open after Diwali
• 345 ginning centres notified in Telangana
• CCI (Cotton Corporation of India) partnerships are finalized
• Committees including district collectors, police, revenue officers, and farmer reps have been set up to prevent exploitation

Financial Support and Procurement Milestones

According to the government, the procurement of cotton has increased drastically over the last decade,

• 2004–2014: 173 lakh bales worth ₹24,825 crore
• 2014–2024: 473 lakh bales worth ₹1.37 lakh crore
• Specifically, in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, cotton procurement expenditure crossed ₹65,000 crore—₹58,000 crore in Telangana and ₹8,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh.

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cotton has doubled over the past 10 years, reflecting the government’s emphasis on farmer welfare and cotton sector resilience.