Industry–Academia Consultative Meet Organized at ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai

23 January 2026, Mumbai

The ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai, in collaboration with the All India Cotton Seed Crushers Association (AICOSCA), Mumbai, organized an Industry Academia Consultative Meet on “Cottonseed Value Chain: Innovations in Processing and By-product Utilization.”

Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. S. K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, emphasized that the true success of any technological innovation lies in its adoption by stakeholders. He underlined the importance of industry-oriented research to ensure that scientific advancements translate into tangible benefits for farmers and the cottonseed processing sector.

Dr. Sandeep Bajoria, Chairman, AICOSCA, appreciated the Institute’s proactive engagement with industry and highlighted the need to align research priorities with industrial requirements. He noted that such collaborative efforts are essential for modernizing the cottonseed sector and maintaining the commercial relevance of research outcomes.

The consultative meet focused on key thematic areas, including leveraging Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) to enhance farmer income and product quality, scaling up scientific cottonseed processing technologies, and developing low-cost, energy-efficient delinting solutions. Deliberations also addressed critical challenges such as plastic contamination in cottonseed during ginning and packaging, and the refinement of protein enhancement techniques for de-oiled cottonseed cake to improve its commercial viability.

Inputs and recommendations from industry stakeholders were carefully documented by the Institute’s scientists to ensure that practical challenges and market needs are effectively incorporated into future research programmes.

The forum witnessed participation from 20 leading industry representatives across the cottonseed value chain, reinforcing efforts to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial applications.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai)