PPT Environmental Impact of Cotton Cultivation and Use in India

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Environmental Impact of Cotton

Cultivation and Use in India

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Content

 Background and Need

 History of Cotton Production in India

 Characteristics of Cotton Produced

 Trade Scenario

 Factors Affecting Cotton Production

 Cotton Value Chain and Environmental Regulatory Framework in India

 Environmental Impacts of Cotton Production in India

 Way Forward

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Background and Need

 Cotton production contributes significantly to India’s economy

 Cotton & Textiles account for 45% of all exports from India to the EU (WWF, 2007)

 Approximately 60 million people rely on cotton production and related industries for livelihoods

 Environmental sustainability issues are there in the entire cotton value chain

Source: WWF,2007.<http://assets.panda.org/downloads/cotton_for_printing_long_report.pdf>

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History of Cotton Production in India

 A principal cash crop grown in India

 Has the largest area, approximately 90 million hectares under cotton cultivation

 Until 2001, non-transgenic cotton seeds sown for cultivation

 Since 2002, farmers began sowing transgenic cotton seeds as well

 Has emerged as the number one cotton exporter and the number two cotton producer with the aid of technology

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Characteristics of Cotton Produced in India

Staple-wise Production of Cotton and Quantity in lakh bales of 170 kgs

Staple Group 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Short (below

20.0mm) ⁹ ^7.6 ^7.11 ^6.8 ⁶ ⁴ ^3.5 ^3.5 ⁴

Medium/Mediu m Long (20.5

to 27 mm) ⁷² ^75.9 ^136.8 ⁶⁴ ⁵⁴ ⁶¹ ⁶⁰ ⁵⁷ ⁶²

Long Staple (27.5 to 32.0

mm) ⁵¹ ^89.95 ^94.07 ^165.4 ^216.15 ²³⁷ ²²² ²³⁰ ²⁴¹

Extra Long Staple (32.5

mm & Above) ⁴ ^5.55 ^5.02 ^4.8 ^3.85 ⁵ ^4.5 ^4.5 ⁵

Total ¹³⁶ ¹⁷⁹ ²⁴³ ²⁴¹ ²⁸⁰ ³⁰⁷ ²⁹⁰ ²⁹⁵ ³¹²

Source: Cotton Advisory Board for Quantity

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Cotton growing Zones in India 2008-09

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Adoption of Technology aided Cotton

in India

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Cotton Hectarage, Production, and

Yield in India 2001-2009

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Import and Export of Cotton in India

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Factors Affecting Cotton Yield in India

 Delayed Sowing

 Monsoon Dependence

 Poor Seed Quality

 Plant Protection

 Crop Management

Source: SINET.”Indian Cotton Textile Sector Network Report”.

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Cotton Value Chain

 Farmers & Harvesters

 Ginners

 Spinners

 Weavers & Knitters

 Manufacturers

 Retailers

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Environmental Regulatory Framework in India (1)

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Plant Protection against Pest and Diseases

 use of pesticides acceptable to prevent cotton plants from boll worm and other diseases

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Water (Prevention & Control) ACT,1974

 fresh water must not get contaminated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers

Source: http://sjvn.nic.in/projects/environmental-regulations.pdf

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Environmental Regulatory Framework in India (2)

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Wildlife Protection ACT, 1972

 protection of “wildlife” that includes any animal, bees,

butterflies, crustaceans, fish and moths and aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat

 thus, beneficial insects must remain unharmed with the use of pesticides

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Environmental Regulatory Framework in India (3)



Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000

 control and regulation imposed on manufacturing, import, export, and use of ozone depleting substances

 hence, dyeing and printing chemicals must be free of ozone depleting substances

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Major Environmental Issues (1)

 Pest Management Issues

 50% of all pesticides used in India go for cotton cultivation

 Part of them drain into freshwater systems

 Many species of beneficial insects, which help keep the insect/pest population in place, are killed by the heavy utilisation of pesticides

 Pesticides poisoning

 FAO reports 383 cases of pesticide poisoning in Andhra Pradesh in 2001

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Major Environmental Issues (2)

 Water Pollution & Management Issues

 Pesticides contaminate fresh water availability

 Unpredictable rainfall patterns have adversely affected rain-fed cotton cultivation in India

 Cotton farmers in India have relied on deep water drilling, resulting into water scarcity

 “In 2001, 22 of 23 districts in Andhra Pradesh were declared under drought, affecting nearly two million hectares of cotton farmland and putting tremendous stress on farmers” (WWF,2007)

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Major Environmental Issues (3)

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Soil Pollution

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Excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers resulting in low/fluctuating yield



Increased salinisation due to deep water drilling

resulting in low/fluctuating yield

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Way Forward



India’s average yield of 567kg/ha is far below than the United States average of 902 kg/ha



Hence, upgrading cotton farming practices is essential to increase average yield per hectare

 Increase irrigation facility

 Use modern technology

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Continued…



Better on-farm management

 Ensure better seed quality

 Avoid freshwater contamination from the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers

 Limit soil contamination from the use of pesticides

 Adopt better waste management practices

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