Lok Sabha Question No. 1537 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Special Project on Cotton and Soybean under NFSM
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1537

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## SPECIAL PROJECT ON COTTON AND SOYBEAN UNDER NFSM

1537.  SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT: SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of funds released for special projects related to cotton and soybean under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in the country, State-wise;
- (b) the details of clusters and districts identified for implementation of special project on cotton and soybean, especially those in Maharashtra;
- (c) the details of clusters where High Density Planting System (HDPS) and Closer Spaced Planting System for cotton which have been successfully implemented, especially those in Maharashtra;
- (d) the details of special schemes being implemented by the Government to uplift soybean farmers; and
- (e) whether the Government  has conducted  any  assessment of  the  specific  project  to evaluate the improvement in cotton and soybean productivity through project interventions, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): A Special Project on Cotton titled 'Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones- large scale demonstrations of best practices to enhance cotton productivity' is being implemented by  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)-  Central  Institute  for  Cotton  Research (CICR), Nagpur from 2023-24 under National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)

[erstwhile National Food Security  Mission  (NFSM)]. An amount of Rs. 2093.42 lakhs, Rs. 2548.94 lakhs and Rs. 1508.08 lakhs has been released to ICAR-CICR, Nagpur during 202324, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (till November, 2025), respectively, for implementing the project. The project is being implemented in major cotton growing states including Maharashtra.

- (b) & (c): The details of districts and clusters covered under Special Project on Cotton is given below:
- (d):  The Government has approved the National Mission on Edible Oils- Oilseeds (NMEOOS), on 3 rd  October, 2024 to boost domestic oilseed production and to strive towards selfreliance  (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in  edible  oils  in  the  country  for  implementation  all  over  the country  including  Maharashtra  over  a  seven-year  period,  from  2024-25  to  2030-31.  The objective of NMEO-Oilseeds is to enhance the production of key primary oilseed crops such as  Soybean,  Rapeseed-Mustard,  Groundnut,  Sunflower,  Sesamum,  Niger,  Castor  and Linseed as well as increasing collection, extraction and recovery efficiency from secondary sources like Cottonseed, Rice Bran, Corn oil and Tree Borne Oils.
- (e):  The average productivity of cotton in the demonstrated plots of High Density Planting System (HDPS) technology and Closer Spacing (CS) technology has increased by 30.40% & 39.15%, respectively during 2023-24 and by 39.81% & 32.45%, respectively during 2024-25 over conventional practice under the special project on cotton .

| Year    | All India   | All India   | Maharashtra   | Maharashtra   | HDPS in Maharashtra   | HDPS in Maharashtra   | Closer Spacing (CS) in Maharashtra   | Closer Spacing (CS) in Maharashtra   |
|---------|-------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|         | Districts   | Clusters    | Districts     | Clusters      | Districts             | Clusters              | Districts                            | Clusters                             |
| 2023-24 | 61          | 373         | 16            | 74            | 9                     | 40                    | 16                                   | 66                                   |
| 2024-25 | 65          | 461         | 16            | 115           | 11                    | 62                    | 15                                   | 105                                  |
| 2025-26 | 65          | 412         | 17            | 121           | 10                    | 60                    | 15                                   | 106                                  |

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