COTTON
Features
- It is the most important fibre crop of India.
- It is one of the basic raw materials for the cotton textile industry.
- India is the third largest producer of cotton in the world after China, U.S.A. and Rusia.
- It is the crop of tropical and sub-tropical areas.
- It is cultivated as a Kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
Geographical Requirements
Temperature
- Needs warm climate
- 21ºC – 27ºC
- Abundant sunshine is necessary during the growth of the plant.
- 210 frost free days.
Rainfall
- It requires light rainfall.
- 50 cm to 80 cm is adequate.
- With the help of irrigation crop can be grow.
Soil
- It grows well in Black cotton soil which is found in drier parts of the Deccan plateau.
- It also grows well in alluvial soils of Satluj Ganga Basin.
Area of Production
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.