AKOLA, 14 July 2025: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Friday announced that the Akola pattern of high-density cotton planting—a technique pioneered by Maharashtra farmer Dilip Thakre—will be promoted across India as part of a national strategy to boost cotton yields and end imports by 2030.
Speaking at a high-level session on cotton productivity enhancement held in Coimbatore, the Minister said, “The Akola model has proved its potential on the ground, and the government will now scale it up across cotton-growing regions of the country.”
The Akola pattern involves dense spacing of cotton plants, allowing for greater yield per hectare, more efficient use of water, and mechanisation-friendly layouts. Mr. Chauhan repeatedly cited Thakre’s work, calling it a "model of innovation and productivity."
“India can stop importing cotton and become a major exporter by adopting such farmer-driven models,” the Minister said.
A similar success has been observed in Wardha, where farmer Dilip Pohane, with support from the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), has shown substantial productivity gains through dense planting techniques.
To further support the transition, Chauhan said ICAR and seed companies will be tasked with developing cotton varieties specifically suited for high-density planting systems.
The government also approved a long-pending demand for setting up an agricultural equipment testing institute in South India, which will play a role in enabling mechanisation for high-density layouts.
In his remarks, Chauhan outlined a series of supportive measures:
- Use of AI-based pheromone traps to control pink bollworm
- Regulation of fake seeds and chemicals
- Customised mechanisation solutions for small and marginal farmers
- Soil health and weed management focus, given labour constraints
- Strengthened extension services to transfer innovations “from lab to land”
Chauhan also acknowledged ongoing farmer demand for HTBT cotton, and confirmed discussions are underway with the Ministry of Environment to examine legalising the technology, which is currently planted without formal approval in many areas.
Present at the event were Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh, Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, senior ICAR officials, cotton experts including Dr Vijay Waghmare, and university vice-chancellors. Farmer-innovators Dilip Thakre and Dilip Pohane received special recognition.
Thakre, speaking to a nationa daily said, “The Akola pattern was born out of necessity—to maximise output with fewer resources. I am honoured that it is now being seen as a national path forward.”
Image credit: vecteezy.com
