Transforming India’s Cotton Productivity: Rasi Seeds’ Innovations and Vision

Rasi Seeds is a fifty-year-old Indian Seed Company with world-class R&D, production, and sales & marketing capabilities. Rasi is renowned for excellence in cotton and field crops and through its quality product portfolio, it has established a strong presence across major agricultural regions of India.

Rasi Seeds has been at the forefront of cotton research and innovation, developing high-yielding, pest-tolerant, climate-resilient hybrids with superior fiber quality since 1988. From pioneering non-Bt hybrids to advancing Bt technology, HDPS, and mechanization-oriented breeding, Rasi has enhanced cotton productivity, profitability, fiber quality, and sustainability, benefiting farmers and contributing significantly to India's cotton production and textile economy.

Over the last three decades, Rasi Seeds has established one of the largest cotton hybrid footprints in India, with its hybrids occupying up to 25% of the cotton-growing area in several regions. Our cotton hybrids have been cultivated across 2 to 3 million hectares out of India's 11.4 million hectares involving more than 2 million farmers. Rasi hybrids have gained widespread farmer acceptance which positively impacts millions of cotton farmers.

1. Technology introduction (Bollgard and Hybrid)

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India approved Bt cotton for commercial cultivation in March 2002 through the GEAC, making it the country's first genetically modified crop. Rasi’s RCH2 became the first commercially successful Hybrid with Bt technology.

In 2002–03, India had 76.67 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation, producing 136 lakh bales of lint with a productivity of 302 kg lint per hectare. At the time of Bt cotton commercialization, hybrids accounted for nearly 40% of the total cotton area. Bt technology was rapidly adopted because it significantly reduced pesticide use and production costs while minimizing yield losses caused by insect pests. With the induction Technology and hybrids farmers find it easy to cultivate cotton and Its widespread adoption also encouraged an expansion in cotton cultivation and increased the share of hybrid cotton acreage.

By 2013–14, the cotton area had expanded to 119.6 lakh hectares, with production reaching 398 lakh bales and productivity increasing to 566 kg lint per hectare. During this period, Bt hybrids occupied nearly 95% of the total cotton area.

Between 2002–03 and 2013–14, cotton area increased by 56%, production by 193%, and productivity by 88%. In this remarkable growth, hybrids and Bt technology played the primary role in improving productivity, with Bt technology providing strong support by protecting yields from insect pest damage.

2. Why the production started plateauing and going down to the extent of 100 lakh bales

The effectiveness of Bt technology began to decline, and its breakdown was officially recognized during 2015–16 following widespread infestations of pink bollworm (PBW) across major cotton-growing regions. Consequently, cotton productivity has remained largely stagnant over a few years and started declining during 7-8 years due to the absence of major technological breakthroughs.

During 2024–25, despite only a marginal decline of about six lakh hectares in cotton area, productivity dropped from 566 kg/ha to 440kg/ha, production dropped from 398 lakh bales to 290 lakh bales. This decline highlights the yield losses caused by pink bollworm (PBW), which has developed resistance to the existing Bt technology.

Furthermore, PBW infestation leads to several secondary problems, including increased boll rot in damaged bolls, deterioration in fibre quality, and difficulties during picking operations. These issues result in higher picking costs and lower market prices for the produce. Owing to these challenges, many farmers have shifted to alternative crops that offer greater ease of cultivation and no production risks.

3. What is the Rasi initiative to increase productivity?

Hybrid cotton and Bt technology have been the two most significant drivers of India's cotton production growth. To overcome the current productivity plateau, address emerging pest challenges and to increase the ease of cotton distribution cultivation, Rasi Seeds has launched two major initiatives: Next-generation Bt technology and RASI MAX project.

1. Next-Generation Bt Technology: Rasi has developed its own next-generation Bt technology to effectively address Bollgard II-resistant pink bollworm. This is home grown technology developed by an Indian company through the efforts of Indian scientists, specifically addressing the challenges faced by Indian cotton farmers. The technology is currently undergoing biosafety trials as part of the regulatory approval process. Once the technology gets commercialized, the difficulty faced by Indian farmers due to pink bollworm will be eliminated and it also protects the yield damage from pink bollworm. This helps to restore the farmer's confidence in cotton cultivation.
2. RASI MAX Project: it is a yield-maximization initiative designed to overcome the existing productivity plateau. The project promotes the High-Density Planting System and Closer Spacing (CS) concepts to maximize productivity per unit area. It also aims to establish the foundation for end-to-end mechanization in cotton production through HDPS-suitable hybrids with High ginning outturn (GOT), Precision agronomy practices, Plant Growth Regulator based canopy management and defoliation management for mechanical harvesting.
3. Mechanization: Rasi Seeds actively supports agri-tech start-ups developing affordable planters, harvesters, defoliation solutions, and precision farming technologies to accelerate mechanization and improve cotton productivity.

By combining next-generation Bt technology, HDPS, end-to-end mechanization, and high-GOT hybrids, these initiatives are designed to unlock India’s cotton productivity potential and help achieve yields that meet or exceed global average yields.

4. Mission on cotton productivity

The Government of India has launched the Mission for Cotton Productivity which is officially known as "Kapas Kranti" for the period 2026–27 to 2030–31 to revitalize the cotton sector and enhance national productivity with a budget of Rs 5960 crores.

The mission focuses on promoting HDPS, Closer Spacing (CS), Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, and Integrated Crop Management (ICM).The mission aims to increase cotton production to 498 lakh bales and improve productivity to 755 kg lint per hectare by bridging existing yield gaps through large-scale adoption of improved production technologies and scientific crop management practices.

5. What support is required for achieving the target set in the mission.

First of all we should understand why farmers are not enthusiastic to cultivate cotton.  The ease of doing cotton cultivation has to be established by efficient control of Pink Bollworms. This will ensure reduced spending on spraying and increase yields to the extent 25%. This step will help to increase the gross income by 25% which will create interest among farmers to expand cotton cultivation. This will assure to increase production levels to 560 kgs (400 lakh bales)

Further to reach the goal of 755 kgs lint per hectare set by the Government we need to concentrate on the High Density Planting System , closer Spacing system. Mechanisation should be an integral part of planting. We need large support for the availability of large numbers of machines for planting and harvesting. According to the Mission it is not clear the intent of the Government.

We also request policy support to accelerate the adoption of HDPS, closer spacing cultivation, and mechanization through suitable input subsidies and incentives. Support for affordable planters, harvesters, pre-cleaners, and the availability of defoliation chemicals will be crucial for enabling mechanized cotton cultivation, particularly among small and marginal farmers. 

(Writer is Chairman, Rasi Seeds Pvt. Ltd.)