Cotton

Other names: Kapas

India with ~12 million hectares is one of the largest producers as well as exporters of cotton in the world but ranks 33rd globally in productivity as yields are low per acre (~500 kg lint/acre). The cotton production in India is approximately 40 million bales (170 kg each), out of which 30 million bales is local consumption and 10 million bales is exports.
Cotton

India produces 80% of the cotton in medium and long staple cotton, and faces shortages in short staple and extra-long staple. The quality of Indian Cotton is low compared to global standards. The Indian textile industry contributes about 11 percent to industrial production, 14 per cent to the manufacturing sector, 4 percent to the GDP and 12 per cent to the country's total export earnings.

Cotton is known for its versatility, performance and natural comfort. It is in huge demand for manufacturing clothes and homewares as well as for industrial purposes like tarpaulins, tents, hotel sheets and army uniforms and even banknotes. We help farmers meet this demand with our high-performing cotton seeds and crop protection solutions.

Problem faced by farmers

Many pests such as leafhoppers, aphids, thrips, bugs and whiteflies make life difficult for farmers. And then there are challenges of weeds and diseases.

70 % of Indian cotton production is largely rainfed and therefore it is subjected to vagaries of nature. Drought as well as floods have a devastating effect on the plants – and thus also on cotton farmers.

Image Gallery

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(From left to right) Infestation of aphids, infestation of bollworm, infestation of jassids, infestation of thrips

Solutions we offer

For a good cotton harvest, a farmer needs to start with good quality seeds. The Surpass® brand of cotton seeds from Bayer are good in yield, ginning out-turn and quality and for providing farmers with a good profitable crop. The key Surpass® brands are First Class, Minerva and SP 904.

The cotton farmer also relies heavily on plant protection chemicals, such as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides where Bayer is a trusted choice of farmers. The valuable seeds need to be protected against soil-dwelling insects and early insect invasions on recently emerged plants, a job thoroughly taken care of by our seed treatment product Gaucho®. Whip® Super is an efficient grassicide that helps to manage the weed pressure on field and reduces manual weeding labour cost.

Our crop protection products for foliar use are ahead of the competition. Our range of insecticides extend from Confidor®, Confidor® Super, Admire®, Regent® SC and Oberon®, which control sucking pests and mites  to Larvin® and Fame which helps to combat chewing pests. Planofix® is a novel Plant Growth Regulator that helps to combat flower dropping.

Some of the other initiatives by Bayer include a Public Private Partnership with Confederation of Indian Textile (CITI-CDRA) in Rajasthan for the improvement of cotton productivity for small and marginal farmers, established in 2008. As part of a Collaborative Cotton Mechanization Project, Bayer is working in partnership with John Deere to develop mechanical cotton sowing and picking practice in India.

Teaser Margin Cotton
The Bayer Scientific Magazine

Cotton with less thirst

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