Gujarat Cotton Productivity Mission: 1 lakh hectares, ₹14,000/hectare aid
Synopsis
Gujarat has thrown open applications for the Centre's Cotton Revolution Mission, offering farmers up to ₹14,000 per hectare to shift to modern planting methods. With ₹134.80 crore allocated and a target of over one lakh hectares across 21 districts, the state is positioning itself as the frontrunner in a five-year national push to end India's cotton import dependency.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat opened applications for the Mission for Cotton Productivity on 10 July via the i-Khedut portal .
Eligible farmers can receive up to ₹14,000 per hectare under the Closer Spacing Technology model, or ₹7,500 per hectare under Integrated Crop Management.
Assistance is capped at two hectares per farmer per year.
Gujarat has been allocated ₹134.80 crore for the current year, targeting over one lakh hectares across 21 districts .
The national mission runs from 2026-27 to 2030-31 , aiming to boost production and reduce cotton imports.
Farmers must have sown certified or approved Bt cotton seeds and completed the Farmer Registry to qualify.
The Gujarat government on Friday, 10 July opened applications for farmers to enrol in the Centre's Mission for Cotton Productivity, with eligible cultivators in the state set to receive input assistance of up to ₹14,000 per hectare for adopting modern cotton cultivation practices. The move is part of a five-year national programme running from 2026-27 to 2030-31, aimed at boosting cotton output and reducing India's dependence on imports.
Scheme Overview and Gujarat's Target
The Central government's Mission for Cotton Productivity — also referred to as the Cotton Revolution Mission — seeks to raise production, cut imports, and strengthen farmer incomes by encouraging improved cultivation methods. Gujarat, one of India's leading cotton-producing states, has been allocated a budget of ₹134.80 crore under the mission for the current year.
The state has set a target of covering more than one lakh hectares across 21 cotton-growing districts. Assistance will be capped at a maximum of two hectares per farmer per year.
Two Cultivation Models and What Farmers Get
The scheme operates under two distinct cultivation models. Farmers who have planted cotton at a spacing of 90 cm by 30 cm using the 'Closer Spacing Technology' method are eligible for input assistance of ₹14,000 per hectare. Those adopting the 'Integrated Crop Management' method with a spacing of 90 cm by 60 cm will receive ₹7,500 per hectare.
To qualify, farmers must have sown government-approved or certified cotton varieties — including approved Bt cotton seeds — and completed the mandatory Farmer Registry.
What the Government Said
State Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani announced the scheme's launch, noting Gujarat's continued leadership in cotton production. 'Gujarat continues to be one of the country's leading cotton-producing states. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state had been allocated a budget of ₹134.80 crore under the Mission for Cotton Productivity during the current year to further expand cotton cultivation using modern agricultural practices,' he said.
Vaghani urged eligible farmers to submit applications through the i-Khedut portal, which went live on Friday. Both farmers who have already planted cotton at the prescribed spacings this season and those yet to sow are eligible to apply.
Training and Next Steps
The state government will organise training programmes during the year to help farmers adopt the new cultivation methods and improve productivity. This capacity-building component is intended to ensure that financial assistance translates into measurable yield gains rather than remaining a subsidy on paper.
This comes amid a broader national push to revive India's cotton sector, which has faced stagnating yields and rising import bills in recent years. With applications now open on the i-Khedut portal, the pace of farmer enrolment across Gujarat's 21 districts will be the first real indicator of on-ground uptake.
Point of View
Low yields, and a persistent import bill that undercuts the sector's strategic value. Gujarat's swift rollout of the Cotton Revolution Mission is a positive signal, but the scheme's design reveals a familiar tension: financial incentives tied to planting method rather than verified output. The ₹14,000-per-hectare rate for Closer Spacing Technology is meaningful, but without robust field verification, the risk of paper compliance — farmers claiming the spacing without actually adopting it — is real. The training component is the more consequential intervention; whether it gets funded and executed at scale across 21 districts will determine whether this mission moves yield curves or just subsidy ledgers.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mission for Cotton Productivity launched in Gujarat?
The Mission for Cotton Productivity — also called the Cotton Revolution Mission — is a five-year Central government programme (2026-27 to 2030-31) that provides input assistance to cotton farmers for adopting modern cultivation methods. In Gujarat, applications opened on 10 July via the i-Khedut portal, with the state targeting over one lakh hectares across 21 districts.
How much financial assistance will Gujarat cotton farmers receive?
Farmers using the Closer Spacing Technology method (90 cm by 30 cm planting) are eligible for ₹14,000 per hectare, while those adopting the Integrated Crop Management method (90 cm by 60 cm) will receive ₹7,500 per hectare. Assistance is limited to a maximum of two hectares per farmer per year.
Who is eligible to apply for the Cotton Productivity Mission in Gujarat?
Farmers who have sown government-approved or certified cotton varieties — including approved Bt cotton seeds — and completed the mandatory Farmer Registry are eligible. Both those who have already planted at the prescribed spacings this season and those yet to sow can apply through the i-Khedut portal.
What is Gujarat's budget allocation under the Cotton Productivity Mission?
Gujarat has been allocated ₹134.80 crore under the Mission for Cotton Productivity for the current year, as announced by State Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani. The funds are intended to expand cotton cultivation using modern agricultural practices across the state.
How does the Cotton Revolution Mission aim to reduce India's cotton imports?
The mission encourages higher-yield planting methods such as Closer Spacing Technology, which can raise output per hectare significantly. By improving domestic production and farmer incomes, the programme seeks to reduce India's reliance on cotton imports over its five-year run from 2026-27 to 2030-31.
