The Mission for Cotton Productivity is a five-year Central scheme approved by the Union Cabinet with an outlay of Rs 5,659.22 crore for the period 2026–27 to 2030–31. The mission originated from an announcement in the Union Budget for the financial year 2025–26 to solve the problem of India's stagnant cotton productivity, which is currently around 440 kg/ha, significantly below the global average of approximately 770 kg/ha.
The scheme works by setting a target to increase lint productivity to 755 kg/ha and total production to 498 lakh bales by 2030–31. Key mechanisms include the development of high-yielding, climate-resilient seeds and the promotion of advanced agronomic practices like the High-Density Planting System (HDPS). It also focuses on modernizing approximately 2,000 ginning and processing units to improve cotton quality.
The mission is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Textiles. It connects directly to the government's "5F" vision (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) for the textile sector. A critical component is the branding and traceability initiative, Kasturi Cotton Bharat, which uses a QR code-based blockchain platform to certify the quality and ensure end-to-end traceability of Indian cotton. The mission is a new initiative, replacing or building upon previous efforts like the Cotton Development Programme under NFSM (2014–15).