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In the Malwa region of North India, PAU will support native cultivars to revitalize the cotton production.To revive the traditional cotton crop, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) plans to promote desi or indigenous high-yield varieties as a part of the crop diversification plan.PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said that the desi cotton is commercially viable in the medical sector, resistant to the deadly attacks of the whitefly and highly suitable amid the changing climatic patterns.“PAU recommends three varieties, LD 949, LD 1019 and FDK 124, for sowing. Another variety, PBD 88, has completed the first phase of the trial and is likely to be released in the next kharif season. From this year, agriculture extension teams will sensitise farmers of the semi-arid region about desi cotton, and seeds will be provided to them. From next season, seed production will be multiplied to encourage farmers to come back to cultivating the natural fibre,” he said.VC, who heads the interstate consultative and monitoring committee, a panel of experts for the promotion of cotton in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, said that indigenous varieties are economically sustainable.Gosal clarified that the promotion of desi cotton varieties is not aimed at replacing BT cotton but at diversifying cultivation of the natural fibre that is a traditional economical lifeline of the southwest districts.“After pest attacks and other factors, last year, cotton acreage was lowest ever as several growers switched to growing paddy. It is a worrying trend that cotton growers in the southwest region used brackish water for rice cultivation, which will adversely impact the soil quality if cotton is not pushed again,” added the VC.Paramjit Singh, crop breeder at the PAU’s regional research station (RRS) in Bathinda and lead scientist behind developing PBD 88, said that the desi cotton varieties have a natural resistance to whitefly and pests causing leaf curl disease.“The optimum yield of BT Cotton is 10-12 quintals per acre, and the field trials of PBD 88 conducted at the PAU research farms in Bathinda, Abohar and Faridkot for the last three kharif seasons showed that its production was not less than the hybrid. This year, the PAU extension teams will rope in farmers to sow the variety for final feedback before selling the seeds from next year,” he said.RRS director Karamjit Singh Sekhon said that data revealed that about 15 years ago, out of the average area of 5 lakh hectares under cotton, nearly 10% was under the desi varieties.“But in the last decade, acreage of desi cotton has sunk drastically, and we are working to promote it in a planned manner. Unlike hybrids like BT, farmers can use seeds of desi cotton every year, thus reducing the cost input and it will ensure that farmers are sowing their genuine seeds,” he said.read more :-Experts push for AI & technology as India’s cotton output declines

Experts advocate for AI and technology as cotton production in India drops.GUNTUR: The All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Cotton has reported a sharp decline in India’s cotton production, with cultivation area dropping by 10.46% and output falling by 7.98% in 2024-25. Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Telangana are the most affected States.Addressing these concerns, the AICRP’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) in Lam, Guntur, focused on improving productivity and sustainability.Deputy Director General (DDG) of ICAR’s Crop Science Division Dr DK Yadava and other experts highlighted the need for high-quality inputs, early-maturity crops, and contamination-free cotton.Officials approved seven non-Bt and 54 Bt varieties and promoted advanced farming technologies, including AI-driven genetic improvements, sensor-based monitoring, and drone applications.Dr CD Mayee outlined the second Technology Mission on Cotton, targeting 850-900 kg lint yield per hectare. The AGM also released reports on Bt cotton, organic farming, and pest control. Experts reaffirmed their commitment to boosting productivity and sustainability in India’s cotton sector.read more :-Rupee opens 3 paise higher at 85.94 against US dollar

Rupee Opens 3 Paise Higher at 85.94 Against Dollar in Early TradeIndian rupee open 3 paise up at 85.94 against the US dollar on March 24. The local currency ended at 85.97 against the greenback at previous closing session.read more :- Indian Rupee higher 25 Paisa, Ends at 85.97 per Dollar

Rupee Strengthens 25 Paisa Against Dollar, Closes at 85.97The Indian rupee on friday higher 25 paise to close at 85.97 per dollar, while it opened at 86.22 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 557.45 points or 0.73 percent at 76,905.51, and the Nifty was up 159.75 points or 0.69 percent at 23,350.40. About 2695 shares advanced, 1181 shares declined, and 118 shares unchanged.read more :-State buys 44 lakh quintal cotton, assures continuation of MSP procurement

The state guarantees the continuation of MSP procurement while purchasing 44 lakh quintals of cotton.Nagpur: The Maharashtra government has bought 44 lakh quintal cotton through the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) till March 18, ensuring farmers get minimum support price (MSP), marketing minister Jaykumar Rawal informed the Legislative Council on Thursday.Responding to a question posed by city MLC Abhijeet Wanjari during a short duration discussion, Rawal assured the House that cotton procurement has not been stopped and 124 cotton procurement centres are operational across the state. This year, the MSP for long-staple cotton was fixed at Rs 7,521 per quintal, while for medium-staple cotton it was Rs 7,121 per quintal. Cotton is processed through ginning and pressing units, with agreements being made from September to September every year.The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to increasing farmers' income by improving irrigation capacity, strengthening infrastructure and expanding market opportunities. Maharashtra is the first state in India to launch a Private Market Committee Policy with the aim of streamlining agricultural trade and benefiting farmers.read more :- Indian rupee open 14 paise up at 86.22 against the US dollar

Rupee Opens 14 Paise Higher at 86.22 Against Dollar in Early TradeThe Indian rupee on friday opened 14 paise higher at 86.22 against the US dollar, as against the close at 86.36 on thursday.Indian rupee opened 14 paise up on March 21 due to support from strong foreign investors flows and fall in real effective exchange rate (REER), currency experts said.read more :-Indian Rupee higher 4 Paisa, Ends at 86.36 per Dollar

Rupee closed 4 Paise higher at 86.36 Against US DollarThe Indian rupee on thursday higher 4 paise to close at 86.36 per dollar, while it opened at 86.40 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 899.01 points or 1.19 percent at 76,348.06, and the Nifty was up 283.05 points or 1.24 percent at 23,190.65. About 2296 shares advanced, 1554 shares declined, and 124 shares unchanged.read more :-Cotton News: Good news for cotton farmers! Improvement in cotton prices CCI's big decision

Cotton Prices Rise: CCI’s Big Decision Benefits FarmersCotton News:- Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has purchased cotton in large quantities as cotton prices have been under pressure since the beginning of this year. CCI has so far purchased 1 crore (100 lakh) bales of cotton from across the country, with the highest purchases being made from Telangana.In Telangana alone, 40 lakh bales of cotton, i.e. 40 per cent of the total purchases, have been purchased. After this, 29 lakh bales have been purchased in Maharashtra, 13 lakh bales in Gujarat, 6 lakh bales in Karnataka and 4 lakh bales in Madhya Pradesh. CCI is also involved in purchasing in other states.The central government has announced a guaranteed price of Rs 7,121 per quintal for medium staple cotton and Rs 7,521 per quintal for long staple cotton this year. But the price of cotton in the real market remains lower than the guaranteed price.Cotton rates remain between Rs 6,700 and Rs 7,000 per quintal. Cotton prices have improved by Rs 100 to Rs 200 in the last two-three days, but they are still below the guaranteed price.While many farmers have decided to hold their goods due to low prices in the market, some farmers have preferred to sell cotton to CCI.Bulk purchase from CCIThe market has got support from CCI's heavy purchases. CCI has bought 44 per cent of the total cotton that came to the market this year. Despite the slowdown in international markets, CCI's active purchases did not lead to a major decline in rates in the domestic market. Due to this, the current level of cotton price in the country is stable between Rs 6,700 and Rs 7,000 per quintal.CCI, the country's largest cotton stockist, has now started selling cotton. But cotton prices in CCI auctions are higher than open market rates.Currently, the open market prices of cotton bales are between Rs 52,000 and Rs 54,000 depending on the quality. However, in the CCI auction on March 17, cotton sold between Rs 54,000 and Rs 55,500 per quintal. So far, CCI has sold 2 lakh 8 thousand bales of cotton, out of which mills have bought 94,500 bales and traders have bought 1 lakh 13 thousand bales.Cotton prices in the open market also get support as cotton traders and mills buy at higher rates in CCI auctions. This is likely to provide some relief to farmers, although market prices have still not reached the guaranteed price level. This purchase and sale policy of CCI has helped stabilize the cotton market and prevent a fall in prices.read more :-Indian rupee opens 4 paise higher at 86.40 against US dollar

Against the US dollar, the Indian rupee begins 4 paise higher at 86.40.Indian rupee opened higher at 86.40 per dollar on Thursday versus Wednesday's close of 86.44.read more :-Cotton Rate: Cotton rate revised up to Rs 200 CCI sells cotton at higher prices

Cotton Rate: CCI sells cotton at higher prices after revising the rate by up to Rs 200.Since the beginning of this year, there has been pressure on cotton prices in the country, so CCI's purchases have increased. CCI has so far purchased 1 crore bales of cotton in the country. The highest purchase has been made in Telangana.After this, 29 lakh bales were purchased in Maharashtra. CCI is selling cotton. However, CCI's cotton is being sold at a price higher than the open market price. It is getting support from the price of cotton. Cotton prices also saw a correction of Rs 100 to Rs 200.The central government has announced a minimum support price of Rs 7,121 for medium-long-staple cotton and Rs 7,521 for long-staple cotton this year. However, cotton prices in the market have remained below the guaranteed price so far. Cotton sold between Rs 6,700 and Rs 7,000.However, there has been some improvement in cotton prices for the last two-three days. But the prices are lower than the guaranteed price. Some farmers even held back their goods due to low prices in the market. This year farmers have preferred to give cotton to CCI.CCI's purchases were good due to low prices in the open market. CCI has so far purchased 1 crore bales (10 million bales) of cotton. CCI purchased 44 percent of the total cotton that came to the market. Due to CCI's support, the market did not fall much despite the bearish pressure in the international market. The price level in the country was seen between 6,700 and 7,000.State-wise purchaseOut of the one crore bales purchased by CCI across the country, 40 lakh bales of cotton were purchased in Telangana. This means that 40 percent of the cotton was purchased in Telangana alone. 29 lakh bales of cotton were purchased in Maharashtra. 13 lakh bales of cotton were purchased in Gujarat, 6 lakh bales in Karnataka and 4 lakh bales in Madhya Pradesh. CCI was successful in making purchases in the remaining states this year as well.CCI is being sold at a higher price.CCI is currently the largest cotton stockist in the country. CCI is selling cotton in the market. However, CCI's selling price is higher than the market price. The price of cotton khadi in the open market is between Rs 52,000 and Rs 54,000 depending on the quality. However, in the CCI auction on March 17, cotton was sold between Rs 54,000 and Rs 55,500.CCI sold 2 lakh 8 thousand cotton bales. Out of this, mills bought 94,500 bales and traders bought 113,000 bales of cotton. CCI's cotton traders and mills are buying at higher prices. Therefore, cotton prices are getting support in the open market as well.CCI bought 1 crore bales of cotton in the country. Registration for selling cotton to CCI closed on March 15. However, cotton will be purchased from registered farmers. Therefore, registered farmers can offer cotton to CCI.read more :-Indian Rupee higher 17 Paisa, Ends at 86.56 per Dollar

Rupee Strengthens 17 Paisa Against Dollar, Closes at 86.56The Indian rupee on tuesday higher 17 paise to close at 86.56 per dollar, while it opened at 86.73 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was up 1,131.31 points or 1.53 percent at 75,301.26, and the Nifty was up 325.55 points or 1.45 percent at 22,834.30. About 2715 shares advanced, 1153 shares declined, and 117 shares unchanged.read more :- Indian rupee opens 6 paise higher at 86.73 against US dollar