Maharashtra is charting a quality-based future for cotton
Mumbai: Maharashtra is charting a quality-based future for cotton by aligning with global practices.
Maharashtra's cotton sector took a decisive step towards strengthening its global competitiveness with a high-level workshop titled "Promoting Cotton Value Chain Development by Focusing on Quality, Productivity, Production, and Market Access" held at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur.
Jointly organized by the Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) Project, Maharashtra Transformation Institute (MITRA), Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Foundation (VSTF), Indo Cotton Development Association, Grant Thornton, and Palladium Consulting India Private Limited, this one-day state-level workshop brought together government leaders, industry leaders, farmer producer companies (FPCs), and textile stakeholders to develop an integrated roadmap for sustainable cotton value chain development in Maharashtra.
Praveen Pardeshi, Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and CEO of MITRA, said, "We need to align agricultural practices, contamination control, and market reforms with global standards, such as the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative—India's national cotton quality and traceability program."
Dr. Rajaram Dighe, CEO of VSTF, emphasized the need to align India with global cotton textile standards, focusing not only on quality but also on achieving complete traceability across the cotton value chain.
Dr. Hemat Wasekar, Project Director of SMART, emphasized the strategic need to shift from a quantity-based cotton production approach to a quality and value-based approach.
Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Vikas Chandra Rastogi highlighted the Maharashtra government's commitment to modernizing the sector through technology adoption, farmer training, and FPO linkages with premium buyers.
As international brands increasingly prioritize sustainable and traceable cotton, Maharashtra's integrated value-chain approach—connecting FPOs, modern ginning units, and premium buyers—positions the state to capture new export opportunities.
Speakers said that the synergy between improved cotton, Kasturi Bharat, and BIS certification frameworks is expected to increase market premiums and boost farmer incomes.
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