A cotton crisis is upon us as climate change takes a toll on crops

Climate adaptability needs to be improved without compromising on yield potential

The weather-induced sharp dip in cotton production and the resultant exorbitant spike in its prices in almost all major cotton-producing countries have plunged the whole textile sector into a crisis the world over. In most countries, the prices of cotton have surged by 60 to 70 per cent in the past one year and are currently ruling at their highest level in over a decade. In India, the prices have more than doubled since last year, forcing many units in the textile industry to curtail operations or cease production, despite the waiver of import duty and other concessions to facilitate