Reviving ‘white gold': how regenerative cotton farming can be a gamechanger in North India
Once hailed as 'white gold,' cotton—the backbone of India's textile economy—is facing a crisis in North India. Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have been grappling with steep declines in area, yield, and quality due to persistent pink bollworm (PBW) infestations, whitefly attacks, Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV), and soil-borne diseases such as boll rot and root rot. Coupled with erratic weather patterns, including prolonged dry spells and irregular rainfall, the cotton belt of North India is at a crossroads.
In this backdrop, a groundbreaking demonstration of regenerative cotton farming in Haryana's Sirsa district has shown a promising way forward when the cotton sowing season has just begun in North India.
During the Kharif 2024 season, the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Jodhpur, under Project Bandhan and with support from the PI Foundation and Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Central Institute for Cotton Research (ICAR-CICR) in Nagpur, conducted a high-tech regenerative cotton sowing trial at the North India High-Tech R&D station in Gindran village. The results, recently published in a report titled 'Reviving Cotton in North India through High-Tech Regenerative Farming,' have led to new hope across the cotton-growing community.
Launched at the Cotton Association of India (CAI)'s farmer training programme on April 11–12 in Mumbai, the initiative garnered the attention of leading agricultural experts, including CAI president Atul S Ganatra, Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (ISCI) president Dr C D Mayee, and SABC's Dr Bhagirath Choudhary.
During the demonstration, around 2,500 farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan were trained in the regenerative cotton farming technique. The demonstration plots – which integrated modern agronomic practices with drip fertigation and other regenerative techniques – recorded significantly higher yields than traditional methods. Fertigation is a technique that applies fertilizer directly to plants through an irrigation system.
The scientists adopted several methods including drip fertigation and mechanical detopping (flat bed), and got 16.70 quintals yield per acre; drip fertigation, raised bed, polymulch and mechanical detopping, and got 15.97 quintals yield per acre; drip fertigation, flat bed and canopy management (mepiquat chloride) and got 15.25 quintals yield per acre; while with conventional control plots they received just 4.21–6.53 quintals yield per acre.
'Micro-irrigation techniques, especially drip systems, helped participating farmers save up to 60 per cent of irrigation water compared to conventional flood irrigation methods. Moreover, drip fertigation dramatically improved fertilizer use efficiency—with 54 per cent higher nitrogen uptake, 33 per cent for phosphorus, and 79 per cent for sulphur,' said Dr Choudhary, adding that these productivity and resource-use gains translated into substantial economic benefits. The net profit ratio of demonstration plots stood at 2.99, far surpassing 2.21 and 1.54 recorded in conventional control plots.
Farmer Manoj Kumar of Gindran village said he had brought 1.5 acres of land under regenerative cotton farming under the guidance of Dr Dilip Monga, former head of ICAR-CICR RRS, Sirsa, and who is part of this demonstration, and Dr Choudhary. Kumar recorded a yield of 16 quintals per acre. In contrast, the yield from the traditionally sown field was only 8 quintals per acre, even though the same seed was used in both plots—the only difference being the technique.
'This time, I am planning to bring around 8 acres under this technique,' he said. Kumar added that last year, several farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan visited his fields to learn about the method. He emphasized that farmers need proper guidance to enhance their yields. He said, 'If I am earning double from the same field with lower input costs, why wouldn't I increase the area under this method?'
Ganatra said that in this study, the key technological interventions were drip irrigation and fertigation which ensured precise delivery of water and nutrients, improving plant stand and reducing wastage. Pink bollworm (PBW) management using PB Knot technology was very helpful for mating disruption and pheromone traps and cutting pesticide usage by 18–27per cent.
Scientists said climate-smart tools were used which encouraged solar-powered irrigation and water storage tanks to enhance sustainability. And the main emphasis was on disease prevention by using resistant varieties and pre-emptive disease control strategies. The result was enhanced germination (up to 95 per cent), healthier crop growth, reduced chemical dependency, and more sustainable cotton cultivation.
Experts believe the Gindran demonstration could be a template for cotton revival across North India, provided certain systemic supports are ensured, including mainstreaming drip fertigation as a standard farming practice, scaling up Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches, promoting climate-resilient infrastructure like solar pumps and water tanks, and ensuring access to finance, inputs, and training for small and marginal farmers.
Dr Choudhary emphasised, 'This is not just about higher yields; it is about transforming cotton into a sustainable, profitable, and environmentally responsible crop once again.'
'Beyond boosting farm income, this model offers hope for ginners (who remove seeds and debris from cotton), spinners, and the textile industry that have been hit hard by declining cotton supply in the North. Punjab alone has seen several ginning units shut due to reduced cotton arrivals. By restoring productivity and area under cultivation, the regenerative cotton model could help North India reclaim its position as a leading cotton-growing region—a much-needed boost for both livelihoods and the rural economy,' said Ganatra.
Can regenerative cotton farming bring back the glory days of 'white gold' in North India? The farmers involved in this demonstration say 'yes'. Now, it's about scaling the impact.
The North Indian cotton belt – Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan – has witnessed a significant decline of around 5.58 lakh hectares in the area under cotton cultivation last year (2024-25), with Punjab leading at 50 per cent less area compared to 2023-24. In Punjab, the cotton area reduced from 2.14 lakh hectares in 2023-24 to just 1 lakh hectares last year. Rajasthan followed with a decline of 34 per cent, as the area under cotton fell from 10.04 lakh hectares in 2023-24 to 6.62 lakh hectares last year.
Haryana experienced a 17 per cent decline, with cotton area decreasing from 5.78 lakh hectares in 2023-24 to 4.76 lakh hectares last year. Due to declining area under cotton, the area under paddy is increasing manifold in Punjab, which is bad news because of how paddy depletes already-low groundwater levels.
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