Challenges of Cotton Textile Industry in India
The following are the important challenges of the cotton textile industry in India :
- Scarcity of Raw Cotton: Since the partition, the Indian cotton textile industry has suffered as cotton growing areas went to Pakistan.
- Outdated Machinery: Around 60-70% of the machinery in India is 2 to 3 decades old.
- Erratic Power Supply: Power supply to cotton mills is erratic and insufficient.
- Low Labour Productivity: A worker in India has two looms on average as compared to 30 looms in Japan and 60 looms in USA.
- Strikes: Frequent strikes can be seen in the cotton textile industry.
- Tough competition: Stiff competition can be felt in the Indian cotton mill industry in terms of handloom and power loom.
Cotton Textile Industry in India
The cotton industry in India has been considered to be the second most developed in the textile industry of India following the man-made textile. India is the largest producer of cotton and the cotton industry of India is one of the fastest-growing sectors. About 25 percent of the world’s area under cultivation is under India and includes states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. About 4.5 crore people in India have been employed in cotton textile industry of India.