To minimise the impact of pollution in cotton based textile industry, the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) will take up breeding work on colour cotton to develop viable colour cotton varieties, according to a top university official.
Since pollution caused by dyeing factories, as in Tirupur was a serious problem, colour cotton can be a good alternative to solve this issue, TNAU Vice Chancellor Dr Murugesa Bhoopathi said while participating in a two—day annual research workshop on Cotton and Sericulture here recently.
Though organic cotton was emerging as a promising proposition, its success depended on higher prices for the farmers, he said.
Yield levels of organic cotton were low around four to five quintals per hectare and unless farmers are adequately compensated for their extra efforts, organic cotton may not grow as desired, Mr Bhoopathi pointed out.