Fibre to Fashion make in Vidarbha InitiativePresentation
Endowed with the status of being India's highest cotton-producing region, the Vidarbha region in the eastern part of Maharashtra state is scrambling to move up the textile value chain. Although the region has plenty of ginning and spinning units, the scant availability of weaving and processing facilities is impeding its progress. Sadly, now even ginning and spinning sectors are experiencing strains due to factors like outmoded cotton cultivation practices, inadequate farm-industry linkages, technological backwardness and scarce infrastructure.
The worst fallout of this whole scenario, however, has been that it has pushed many cotton farmers to the brink of suicide or shift to other crops as cotton farming is no more lucrative. Despite all the bleakness, there appears a silver lining. Chairman of The Textile Association of India (TAI), India's largest textile body, Dr. Hemant Sonare has come forward to support and promote Vidarbha's cotton textile industry and help restore its lost sheen.
Dr. Hemant Sonare through this social endeavour ‘Cotton Vidarbha’ addressing farmers distress & guide them for the future value added growth journey from farm to fashion on the path of prosperity.
According to TAI chairman Dr. Hemant Sonare, the region's cotton farmers are not getting the desired yield as they use conventional methods. Moreover, due to contamination, Indian cotton is being sold at a discount of 7 percent in the international market. Despite Vidarbha being cotton-rich, farmers there are shifting to other crops and that calls for instant attention from the industry, he cautions. Switching to genetically modified Bt cotton to shield against green bollworm and reduce the use of pesticides too turned into a fiasco, as pink bollworm had become resistant to it, leading to increased use of insecticides and eventual high contamination of cotton. Not all is well with the next steps of the value chain either.
Though the ginning business prospects are heartening, the maximum portion of the total cotton produced in Vidarbha goes outside for processing. The region annually produces around 35 lakh cotton bales of which only 7-8 lakh bales are converted into yarn locally, while the rest is sent to other regions for value addition. A major stumbling block in the development of the local textile industry, Dr. Sonare notes, is a very limited investment inflow into the region. For the survival of cotton farming sectors of Vidarbha, there is a need for collective and collaborative effort. The region has tremendous potential for all-round value-added growth of the cotton textile industry. However, innovation on all counts is the order of the day that will lead to progress, he underlines.
COTTON VIDARBHA Encourage Entrepreneurship in the textile and apparel sector as per the region's strength. Cotton Vidarbha is working to create a farm-to-fashion incubation centre model for the textile industry at Nagpur to encourage budding entrepreneurs to set up units under different business models.
COTTON VIDARBHA helps both aspiring and existing cotton textile unit owners by providing inputs on government aid, incentives, subsidies and funding from financial institutions. It also strives to disseminate information about the Maharashtra state government's textile policy. According to Sonare, the Nagpur incubation centre will boost entrepreneurship, particularly amongst the rural youth. COTTON VIDARBHA is exhorting new entrepreneurs to establish units for cotton ginning, spinning, micro-spinning, weaving, power looms, knitting, processing and garment manufacturing at the village level.
Cotton Vidarbha is helping farmers through applicable research and guidance at their farm.
Helping farmers to increase their productivity & quality of their cotton through continuous guidance.
COTTON VIDARBHA is providing necessary education and training to farmers and entrepreneurs to enhance their skills.
Cotton Vidarbha is discussing with international textile trade associations from China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Myanmar, and Vietnam to leverage each others' knowledge, competencies, and create strategic partnerships for mutual benefit and value added growth.
Dr. Sonare, however, is also mindful of the high expectations and the challenge of capitalising on the new emerging opportunities in textile value and supply chain. Existing and budding entrepreneurs could be the change agents, who can develop an integrated framework, he feels.
First and foremost, the farmers need to adopt the latest farmingtechniques to increase yield that will also boost their earnings, asserts Sonare. Vidarbha's cotton production is 300 kg per hectare, while India's average is 500 kg per hectare and the world average is 700 kg per hectare. Australia's average cotton production is 2,200 kg per hectare. Dr.Hemant Sonare is optimistic that stepping up cotton production in Vidarbha to 2,100 kg per hectare is achievable. Cotton contamination needs to be contained at the farm level to achieve the desired quality.
Sonare suggests this is possible by cultivating native varieties. Besides, embracing an export-oriented and quality-conscious approach will leave an indelible mark on the global market. It goes without saying that the government on its part has offered special packages to promote the textile and apparel industry. However, more tangible and hands-on solutions are desirable to deal with the Vidarbha crisis. Sonare suggests the industry should adopt cotton-producing villages and switch to corporate farming to change the entire cultivation system as farmers need access to modern farming techniques and a strong processing ecosystem.
In a nutshell, if the region's cotton farmers are able to increase their production and entrepreneurs and businesses can help improve quality, the upcoming textile parks could become the new economic models for the stressed-out farm sector. All this backed by research may help promote Vidarbha as the cotton hub and spinning capital of the country.
In addition to educating and supporting the farmers, Vidharba's cotton textile sector, ranging from the hand-spun and hand-woven sectors to the capital-intensive, sophisticated mill sector, also warrants a special focus.
Rising to the occasion, Dr. Sonare has stepped in and enhanced its focus on Vidarbha. COTTON VIDARBHA has launched various initiatives to promote its cotton textile industry, many of which are aimed at benefiting the local entrepreneurs in the textile & clothing industry. Here are some prominent ones:
COTTON VIDARBHA aims to work for the development of the textile & clothing sector of Vidarbha and create a Value Added Center of Excellence by creating "Brand Vidarbha" in the global market. Cotton Vidarbha working to create "Cotton Hub" in Vidarbha by promoting cultivation of Desi organic cotton. With Cotton Vidharbha, Dr. Sonare's mission is to promote organic farming and supporting farmers to grow Organic cotton for their social as well as economic development. Other Missions are also:
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