According to SIMA, the plan submitted to the state cotton council, is based on time-bound integrated cotton development. Under the action plan, a project proposal- `Tamil Nadu Integrated Intensive Cotton Development Programme (TNIICDP), for accelerated cotton production to an attainable target of 12-15 lakh bales within a five year period, has been formulated by SIMA. Extending the area and increasing the productivity per unit are the two prime approaches under this proposal for increasing the cotton production.

It may be noted that as against the demand of 60 to 65 lakh bales per annum, the present production level in the state is a mere six lakh bales.

The mills in Tamil Nadu have to therefore import cotton to meet thedemand besides buying from other cotton producing states such as Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The additional costs being incurred by the mills in Tamil Nadu on account of transportation costs incurred in transporting cotton from these states have been pegged at a whopping Rs 210 to Rs 229 crores per annum, at the rate of Rs 2.25 per kg. Since these states have also set up more spindleages, the supply line from these states is also dwindling and the mills then have to resort to costlier imports. The only way to reduce this financial burden is to increase the current level of cotton production in the state.

Due to competition from other crops, extensive use of cultivable land for non agricultural purposes, conversion of vast streches of productive lands to uncultivable waste lands, the scope for large scale expansion of area appears to be limited. However, SIMA feels that the targeted production can be achieved by extension of area in non-traditional tractslike extension of area through exploitation of rice-fallows, inter-cropping cotton in other crops- growing cotton in banana plantation and in sugarcane belt and extension of cotton cultivation in cultivable fallow lands, besides increasing the productivity by adoption of improved cotton production technologies so as to realise sustainable growth and development.

As per the figures available with SIMA, cotton occupies nearly 2.5 lakh hectares, producing about 5.5 lakh bales in the state accounting for less than four per cent of cotton area and production in the country. The productivity is admittedly low ranging from 335 kg to 368 kg lint per hectare against the world average of 580 kg.

Whereas, in order to increase the cotton productivity in the state, SIMA?s action plan has talked about the increase in productivity per hectare along with the extension of area, it has also suggested a new element in its cotton development programme, which relates to the corporate cotton farming.It has been suggested thatin order to increase the availability of cotton of uniform quality, corporate cotton farming, by involving the industry either individually or as a consortium, should be encouraged. Suitable area for development of cotton under corporate farming should be made available in different districts of the state.

SIMA has sggested to the state cotton council that suitable cultivable wastelands in areas of Coimbatore, North Arcot, Salem, Dhamapuri, Erode and Madurai districts can be made available besides identifying additional land for corporate farming. The association has also called for strengthening of R&D for cotton besides setting up bio control laboratory and production centres. It may be mentioned here that Gujarat has emerged as a leading state in cotton production and productivity despite the fact that until few years back, Gujarat was producing only about 15 to 20 lakh bales. In contrast to this, the current production in Gujarat is almost double at 35 to 40 lakh bales. The reason attributed to thisincrease in productivity is the presence of a strong R&D establishment and a viable state seed corporation in Gujarat. Also, Gujarat houses a network of 16 research stations devoted exclusively for cotton research. SIMA has therefore called upon the state government to set up similar R&D cotton establishments and research stations. Cotton cultivation has to be cost effective in order to make it more remenuerative. However, despite the availability of improved production technology for increased sustained cotton productivity, the package is not adequately seeping down to the farm level due to various constraints. SIMA has therefore suggested adoption of situation specific improved production practices such as use of good quality high yielding seeds, sowing within the shortest period of time at village level at the appropriate season, timely field operations, judicious adoption of water management practices, integrated nutrient and pest management practices etc will not only conserve the natural resources butwould also provide enhanced sustainable productivity.

Currently, the average state productivity is around 315 kg lint per hectare while the productivity levels varied widely between different cotton farming systems. As per SIMA, these situation-specific recommendations when carefully integrated into a package of practice and motivated to be adopted by cotton growers will go along way to realise enhanced yield. SIMA has also stressed upon the need to have a exclusive staff for cotton development in the Ministry of agriculture. It is felt that in order to disseminate improved technology for effective implementation of intensive cotton development programme (ICDP), there should be exclusive staff within the framework of existing Tamil Nadu Agriculture Development Programme (TNADP) in each of the cotton growing districts. In addition to the apex bodies like state textile council and state cotton council, SIMA has also called upon the state government to establish a cotton cell in the agriculture department.