Cotton

Cotton is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the mallow family. Cultivation of cotton started approximately 7000 years ago in Mexico and in India and Pakistan. Out of roughly 43 species of cotton, only four are cultivated on a large scale. Cotton grows in tropical and subtropical parts of Asia, Africa, Australia and America. People cultivate cotton because of the seed that represent valuable source of fibers and oil. Each year, around 25 million tons of cotton are produced in the 70 countries around the world. International cotton trade is 12 billion dollars worth business. China is the greatest manufacturer of cotton in the world.

Cotton is the most important fibre crop not only of India but of the entire world. It provides the basic raw material (cotton fibre) to cotton textile industry.

Its seed (binola) is used in vanaspati industry and can also be used as part of fodder for milch cattle to get better milk.

•  Cotton propagates via seed. Harvest takes place 180 to 200 days after planting.

•  Cotton fibers are used in the medical industry for the manufacture of bandages, cotton swabs and tents.

•  Cotton oil extracted from the seed is used as vegetable oil in the human diet.

•  Cottonseed meal (leftovers of seed after extraction of the oil) is used as food for animals.