GROWTH TREND OF COTTON CULTIVATION IN KARNATAKA: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

The study analyses about the growth trend in area, production, and yield of cotton in India as well as Karnataka State. Cotton is an important crop for the sustainable economy of the country and livelihood security of the community Indian Cotton Farming. It is cultivated was 312 lakh hectares across the global level and in around 117 lakh hectares in the country. Thus, India accounts for around 37.5 per cent of the global cotton area and contributes to 26 per cent (i.e 6.20 Million Tonnes) of the global cotton produce of 23.92 Million Tonnes. Cotton continues to enjoy a pre-eminent and the most favored fiber status among the Indian textile mills, as the major raw material for the textile industry. The textile industry, which consumes the cotton, as its principal raw material, contributes about 4% to the GDP and is the major exchange earner for the country. Hence, growth and development of cotton and cotton based textile industry has a vital bearing on the overall development of the Indian economy. This study mainly focused on present status of area, production and yield under cotton. Further, article revealed that the development programmes for improvement in productivity of cotton and skill developments for cotton cultivators in India as well as Karnataka State