The Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, celebrated its 56th Foundation Day today at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, in the presence of  Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh.

The programme was attended by Shri Sanjay Shirsat, Minister of Social Justice, Government of Maharashtra; Shri Sanjay Savkare, Minister of Textiles, Government of Maharashtra; Shri Atul Save, Minister of Other Backward Bahujan Welfare, Dairy Development, Renewable Energy and Divyang Welfare, Government of Maharashtra; Joint Secretary (Fibre), Textile Commissioner and other senior officials of the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra, Executive Director – ICAC, Researcher, Scientists, representatives of the textile industry, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and the cotton farmers.

Addressing the gathering,  Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh described cotton as a cornerstone of India's rural economy, self-reliance and agricultural prosperity, and reiterated the Government's unwavering commitment to the welfare of cotton farmers. Highlighting the achievements of CCI during Cotton Season 2025–26, the Union Minister stated that CCI undertook one of the largest MSP procurement operations in its history by procuring over 522 lakh quintals of seed cotton (kapas) through nearly 24 lakh farmer transactions, while directly transferring ₹41,530 crore into farmers' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

The  Minister highlighted that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for seed cotton (kapas) has been increased by about 7 per cent for Cotton Season 2026–27, ensuring remunerative prices and strengthening the income security of cotton-growing farmers across the country.Referring to the recently approved Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti, Shri Giriraj Singh stated that the Mission, with an outlay of ₹5,659 crore over five years, represents a transformational initiative aimed at enhancing cotton productivity and quality, modernising cotton processing infrastructure, promoting branding and traceability through Kasturi Cotton Bharat, and encouraging sustainable and climate-resilient cotton cultivation practices.The  Minister observed that Kasturi Cotton Bharat reflects India's vision of taking premium Indian cotton from "Farm to Fashion to Global Market" through internationally accepted standards of certification, traceability and sustainability.

Congratulating The Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. on completing 56 years of dedicated service to the nation, Shri Giriraj Singh expressed confidence that the collective efforts of the Government, farmers, industry and research institutions would accelerate the growth of India's cotton sector and significantly contribute towards the realization of the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, while reinforcing India's position as a global leader in sustainable and high-quality cotton

On the occasion, the 'Kapas Darshan' Bulletin was launched to provide cotton farmers with timely advisories on weather, markets, scientific cultivation practices, quality management and various Government initiatives. Informative audio-visual presentations on contamination control, the Kapas Kisan Mobile App and the Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti were also screened.To promote scientific, sustainable and contamination-free cotton cultivation, modern agricultural equipment, including Kapas Plucker Machines, Cotton Stalk Shredder Machines and Contamination Control Kits, were distributed to cotton farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

A major highlight of the programme was the signing of four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening India's cotton ecosystem:

• CCI and ICAR-CIRCOT signed an MoU for capacity building and quality improvement in the ginning and pressing sector.
• CCI and GIZ entered into a partnership to enhance market access for cotton farmers through Kasturi Cotton Bharat by promoting sustainability, quality assurance and traceability.
• CITI, ICAC and MERAGO/GEOCLARA signed an MoU to promote carbon credit generation through climate-smart and sustainable cotton cultivation practices.
• TEXPROCIL and Manjeet Cotton Pvt. Ltd. signed an MoU to collaborate under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat programme for production and certification of 30,000 cotton bales (20,000 Long Staple and 10,000 Extra Long Staple), ensuring traceability, compliance with quality standards, and the development of a premium, traceable cotton supply chain.

The celebrations commenced with a Farmer Orientation Programme, featuring demonstration of films on use of Cotton Stalk Shredder Machines, Kapas Plucker Machines, contamination control practices and awareness sessions on the Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti. A musical presentation on Pink Bollworm Management was also organised to promote scientific crop management practices among cotton farmers.

Addressing the gathering, Ms. Padmini Singla, IAS, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Ministry of Textiles, stated that India's cotton sector is entering a transformative phase driven by innovation, sustainability and productivity enhancement. She observed that the Cotton Productivity Mission – Kapas Kanti would accelerate productivity, strengthen global competitiveness through Kasturi Cotton Bharat, and promote sustainable natural fibres across the cotton value chain.She further stated that the Ministry of Textiles remains committed to strengthening the entire cotton value chain—from Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Fabric and Fabric to Fashion. She highlighted that farmer-friendly MSP operations and digital initiatives have significantly enhanced transparency, accessibility and efficiency in cotton procurement, while productivity enhancement, quality assurance and global branding will remain central to India's cotton growth strategy.

Welcoming the dignitaries, Shri Lalit Kumar Gupta, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, CCI, highlighted the Corporation's remarkable journey over the past 56 years in safeguarding the interests of cotton farmers through transparent, technology-driven and farmer-centric initiatives. He reaffirmed CCI's commitment to ensuring remunerative prices to farmers, promoting quality cotton production and contributing towards the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

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MAM/VN