The Government of India commissioned the Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC) on February 21, 2000 to address the issues of raising productivity, improving quality and reducing the cost of production and thus provide competitive advantage to the textile industry along with ensuring attractive returns to the farmers.
The 10th Plan scheme was operational upto 31.03.2007. However, the Scheme MM III and IV of TMC were further extended in the 11th Five Year Plan for two years i.e. upto 31.3.2009 to accomplish target and completion of the projects.
In order to protect the interests of the farmers, every year, Government fixes the MSP on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). Accordingly, taking into consideration recommendation of the CACP, the support price during 2013-14 for medium staple length cotton has been fixed at Rs.3700/- per quintal and for long staple at Rs.4000/- per quintal.
No specific study on difficulties being faced by cotton growers has been undertaken. However, Government of India had engaged the services of ICRA Management Consulting Service Ltd., in 2011 for assessing the impact of TMC under Mini Missions MM-III & IV.
The study interalia revealed that farmers lacked understanding of good quality cotton and have limited awareness of good harvesting, storage and transportation practices and that there is a scope for education, training of farmers in areas of best farm practices, usage of new technologies and better packing, storage and transportation practices.
