Essay On Cotton
Cotton is the most important and widely used crop. Cotton plants are specially grown for their soft white fibers covered around their seeds. These fibers are used to make thread and cloth. As different cotton plants give fibers of different lengths and thicknesses, there are various kinds of cotton cloth.
Cotton is a plant mainly grown in regions with a warm climate. Rainfall is necessary for its growth. It is planted during the monsoon. It requires rich soil to grow. Soils that are perfect for cotton are volcanic, alluvial, and regular black cotton soil. Temperature from 21° to 27°C is best for the cultivation of cotton. Cotton requires a minimum of two hundred frost-free days.
In India, cotton is a Kharif crop. By October, the plant grows up to the height of four to five feet. The cotton plant bears yellow flowers. After gathering cotton from the field, it is separated from its seeds. Cleaning takes place. The process of cleaning the cotton is known as ‘ginning? Ginning boards and rods are used. The cleaned raw cotton is then sent to the spinning mills. Here the cotton thread is drawn. After this, the cotton thread is sent to the weaving mills where it is woven into cotton clothes.
The seeds of cotton contain oil in them. Certain medicines are made from this oil, Cotton cakes are used as fodder for cattle. The cotton plant is very useful and provides people with clothing, China is the largest producer of cotton in the world. India stands second. In India, cotton is mainly grown in black soil regions. In Pakistan, cotton is grown in the valleys of the Indus River. Brazil is the major producer of raw cotton. Some of the other countries that produce cotton are Turkey, Australia, Argentina, Syria, Greece, Nigeria, Mexico, Egypt, and Tanzania.
During the colonial period, Britain and France were the main importers and exporters of cotton to India. USA, India, and Brazil are the major countries that export cotton. The United Kingdom, France, Russia, Korea, and Germany are the main countries that import cotton.
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