Origin and History

The cotton plant has always thrived in the wild. By contrast, the historical origin of its commercial exploitation, particularly with regard to textile uses, is fuzzier. Relevant literary references point to two distinct geographical origins of cultivated cotton, namely, Asia and pre-Columbian America. The first cotton fabric would date back to approximately as early as 3,200 BC, as revealed by fragments of cloth found at the Mohenjo-Daro archaeological site on the banks of the River Indus. From India, cotton textiles probably passed to Mesopotamia, where the trade started around 600 years BC.

There is evidence to suggest that trade in cotton started around Rome at the time of Alexander the Great, in the 4th century BC. The trade flourished after the discovery of the maritime route passing by the Cape of Good Hope and the establishment of trading posts in India. Portuguese trading prominence in this part of the world had been challenged by other European countries (notably, France and England) since 1698. The Arab conquests introduced the first cotton manufacturing facilities into Spain (Granada), Venice, and Milan. In England, the first cotton-spinning factory opened its doors in Manchester in 1641. This date marked the beginning of the cotton industry in Europe. The industrial revolution of eighteenth century Europe paved the way for the most far-reaching, influential transformation of cotton textile manufacturing. In this connection, the major technological innovations were the following:

Introduction

The textile industry in India occupies a unique position in our economy contributing to nearly a third of the country's export earnings. This industry includes manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers and exporters of Cotton Textiles, Handloom, and Woolen Textiles etc. From the production of textile machinery and equipment, dyes and raw materials to the delivery of finished textiles, fabrics and garments, the textile industry in India has the vast potential for creation of employment opportunities. The number of textiles manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers and textiles exporters in India has increased rapidly after independence. Today, handloom and cotton textiles exports in India is counted among the most important sectors.

The Government of India taking note of the new challenges and opportunities presented by changing global environment, particularly the initiation of the process of gradual phasing out of the QRs on imports and lowering of tariff rates for an integration of world textile and clothing markets by 2004, is set to redefine its goals and objectives vis-a-vis India's textiles. The National Textile Policy-2000 is focused on increasing the present level of textile and apparel exports, to implement vigorously the Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFs), to increase cotton productivity by 50%, launch the Technology Mission on Jute, develop a strong multi-fiber base and to involve and ensure active cooperation and partnership of State Governments, Financial Institutions, Entrepreneurs, Farmers and NGOs in the fulfillment of these objective.

Description and technical features

Cotton is a natural fiber of vegetable origin, like linen, jute or hemp. Mostly composed of cellulose (a carbohydrate plant substance) and formed by twisted, ribbon-like shaped fibers, cotton is the fruit of a shrubby plant commonly referred to as the "cotton plant". The cotton plant, a variety of plants of the genus Gossypium, belongs to the Malvacae family, which comprises approximately 1,500 species, also including the baobab tree, the bombax or the mallow. The plant, growing up to 10 metres high in the wild, has been domesticated to range between 1 to 2 metres under commercial cultivation.

Either herbaceous or ligneous, it thrives in dry tropical and subtropical areas. Whereas by nature the plant is a perennial tree (lasting about 10 years), under extensive cultivation it is mostly grown as an annual shrub. The cotton flower has five large petals (showy, white, white-creamy, or even rose in colour), which soon fall off, leaving capsules, or "cotton bolls", having a tick and rigid external layer. The capsule bursts open upon maturity, revealing the seeds and masses of white/creamy and downy fibers. Cotton fibers of the Gossypium hirsutum species range from about 2 to 3 centimetres in length, whereas Gossypium barbadense cotton produces long-staple fibers up to 5 centimetres length. Their surface is finely indented, and they become kinked together and interlocked. The cotton plant is almost exclusively cultivated for its oleaginous seeds and for the seminal fibers growing from them (i.e. cotton, strictly speaking). In ordinary usage, the term "cotton" also makes reference to fibers that are made into fabric wires suitable for use in the textile industry.

The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council of India

The non-profit Council, popularly known as “Texprocil,” was founded in 1954 by the government of India and currently represents approximately 4,000 Indian companies of all sizes, including both manufacturers and trading houses specializing in production of cotton textiles.

India exports more than US$ 4 billion of cotton yarns, fabrics and ready-made home fashions. The European Union represents the largest export market, accounting for about 30 percent of the country’s production. The United States is a rapidly growing market, representing about 23 percent of India’s exports of cotton home textiles. These products are sold in all major channels of distribution, ranging from mass merchants and national chains to upscale department stores and specialty shops.

Cotton production

Although India is a major cotton producer with significant potential to expand output, it is not clear if domestic production will keep pace with the quantity and quality needs of an expanding textile and apparel industry. India is the third-largest cotton producer in the world (fig.1). Cotton area is significantly larger than any other country in the world—accounting for about 25 percent of global cotton area—but average yields are the lowest among the top-10 global cotton producers. Area and yield gains have boosted cotton production 2.4 percent annually since 1990, but progress in raising yields toward levels achieved by other major producers has been slow. In addition to low yields, the quality of India’s cotton is often poor because of an array of technical, economic, and institutional factors. The extent to which these productivity and quality factors can be addressed will be critical in determining India’s competitiveness in global textile markets and whether rising cotton demand will be supplied by domestic producers or by global markets.

Production Trends

Cotton production has grown significantly since the mid-1980s due to improvements in both area and yield, but growth slowed in the 1990s because of a sharp slowdown in yield gains. Since 2000, rising yields and, more recently, a rebound in area planted have again restored stronger growth in production, but it is uncertain if these gains will be sustained. Output continues to show large annual variations due primarily to weather-induced fluctuations in average yields. About 65 percent of cotton area is not irrigated and is dependent on erratic monsoon rainfall, a share that has remained relatively constant since the late 1980s.

Area, yield, and production trends have varied sharply across each of India's distinctly different cotton-producing regions. The overall slowdown

India: cotton area, production and yield 1960-2004

India has traditionally been a net cotton exporter, but emerged as a significant net importer in 1998 (fig. 29). Increased import demand has been associated with a combination of steady growth in domestic consumption, raising exports of cotton-based textiles, and a period of stagnating cotton production during 1997-2002 (fig. 30). Rising imports have also been supported by more liberal import policies for cotton since the early 1990s and, in the late 1990s, by increased demand for quality cotton not available in India. Although imports declined in 2003 and 2004 along with the recovery in cotton production, it remains uncertain if the recent gains in production can be sustained.

Global trade is expected to be in range of US $ 800 Billions in 2014 up from US $ 350 Billion in 2002 with share of textiles at 40% and clothing at 60%.’

According to some studies China and India will be major gainers. India could increase their share from present 8 % in US textile market to 13.5% and from 3% to 8% in US Garment market. For EU the projections are from 3.6 to 8% and 3% to 8 % in textiles and garment sectors. As on date China has distinct advantage in terms of supply chain management, low cost and better designs.

Whereas Morgan Stanley has projected India to be one of top three exporters of textile and garments, another study by Indian Cotton Mills Federation has estimated Indian textile exports to reach US $ 40 Billion by 2010. GOI on other hand has projected exports to double from US $12 Billion to 25 Billion in next couple of years and eventually to US $ 50 Billion by 2010.

Conclusion

For more than half a century, The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council of India has been promoting products from Indian manufacturers to the world. The non-profit Council, popularly known as “Texprocil,” was founded in 1954 by the government of India and currently represents approximately 4,000 Indian companies of all sizes, including both manufacturers and trading houses specializing in production of cotton textiles. India exports more than US$ 4 billion of cotton yarns, fabrics and ready-made home fashions.

The European Union represents the largest export market, accounting for about 30 percent of the country’s production. The United States is a rapidly growing market, representing about 23 percent of India’s exports of cotton home textiles. These products are sold in all major channels of distribution, ranging from mass merchants and national chains to upscale department stores and specialty shops. Indian manufacturers are investing heavily in state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, expanding spinning, weaving, finishing, processing and cut-and-sew facilities. The abundant availability of a highly skilled workforce allows these companies to be low-cost producers of high-quality cotton textiles.

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