World is moving towards eco-friendly products, says Giriraj Singh
The Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh has reiterated the Government’s commitment not only to achieving the US$350 billion textile sector target by 2030, including US$100 billion in exports, but also to moving towards carbon neutrality http://ministryoftextiles.gov.in.
Giriraj Singh stressed that this transformation can only happen when every stakeholder—from farmers to textile exporters—works as one family. Although India accounts for 40% of the world’s cotton area, productivity remains around 450 kg per hectare, much lower than 2,000 kgs per hectare in many other countries. The Mission for Cotton Productivity, under active consideration, aims to address this gap, he added https://fieo.org/.
Highlighting the future potential of natural fibres like milkweed, ramie, and flax, he said that India’s farmers have the strength and wisdom to lead the world in sustainable fibre production.
“The world is moving towards eco-friendly products, and our farmers can show the path ahead,” he noted.
In a heartfelt appeal, the Minister called upon all stakeholders —ginners, spinners, brands, and exporters — to connect emotionally with the farmers who make the cotton journey possible http://commerce.gov.in.
Let us make Kasturi Cotton Bharat the pride of every Indian — a cotton that the world recognizes for its purity, quality, and sustainability, just as it does Egyptian Giza or American Supima.
During the opening session, Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita pointed out that India must strive to attain a leadership position in quality, sustainability, and ethical production.
The Kasturi Cotton initiative has the potential to contribute immensely to the ‘5F’ (farm-fibre-factory-fashion-foreign) vision of the Government, he pointed out, adding that India and Russia could forge deeper ties in the textiles and apparel arena.
Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary Textiles highlighted that the cotton sector supports six million farmers and provides employment to over 45 million people across the value chain https://www.nseindia.com/.
She emphasized that the future of Indian cotton lies in technology-led transformation — from advanced cotton breeding and precision farming to digital traceability, data-driven extension services, and modernization of ginning infrastructure. These innovations, she noted, are vital to enhancing productivity, quality, and sustainability https://www.bseindia.com/.
She urged all stakeholders to adopt a collaborative and technology-integrated approach to address the productivity challenges of the cotton sector. She also underlined the importance of sustainability certifications, quality assurance, and value addition to position Kasturi Cotton Bharat as a globally recognized symbol of purity, quality, and technological excellence. She also urged CITI CDRA to reach more farmers to undertake the ‘High Density Planting System’ (HDPS) https://sbi.com.in/.
Dr M Beena Development Commissioner (Handlooms) & Textile Commissioner, reiterated that a focus on technology and innovation is the need of the hour and the Ministry of Textiles is continuously supporting the industry through schemes such as ATUFS, PM MITRA, NTTM etc.
Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, in her keynote address, emphasized that enhancing sustainability is paramount, and the Ministry has been encouraging a collaborative approach to address the challenges faced by the textile industry https://www.makeinindia.com/home/.
She highlighted the inter-ministerial coordination in launching a holistic plan Mission for Cotton productivity aimed at increasing cotton production and yield, thereby enabling farmers to enhance their income.
She stressed that the collective mission must be to enhance productivity, ensure quality and transparency, and build trust through traceable and sustainable cotton practices.
In the global market, she added, labelling, contamination control, and traceability are emerging as non-negotiable trade parameters. Through strategic policies, scientific advancements, and strong industry partnerships, India can regain its leadership in high-quality cotton production, promote climate-smart and sustainable practices, and build a globally recognized brand for trusted, traceable, and premium Indian cotton.
This World Cotton Day 2025 celebration event also witnessed valuable insights from Shri Lalit Kumar Gupta, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of CCI, on the Corporation’s contribution towards empowering cotton farmers of the country through various initiatives and digital transformation.
The programme concluded with the signing of Commercial, Community and Council MoUs under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative with renowned organizations like Nitin Spinners, Arvind Ltd, RSR International, All India Cotton FPO Association (AIFCA), Beetle Regen, Hohenstein, ICAR-CIRCOT and Noida Apparel Export Cluster (NAEC). Fiinews.com
