To ensure that cotton produced locally is utilised without any middleman, the Maharashtra government will soon set up its integrated 2nd textile park in Beed district, chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis has said.

The government has already announced setting up of an integrated textile park in Amravati district, which will help in generating more employment opportunities, Fadnavis said.

Maharashtra contributes 31 per cent to India’s total cotton production, but only 25 per cent of it is processed and treated within the state, he said, adding that processing of agricultural produce increases economic strength of the farmers.

He suggested that some portion of crop loans should be utilised to improve the infrastructure of the farms, which would help in developing agricultural practices in the country.

The revival of the textile industry is one of the pet projects of Fadnavis. To make the textile sector economically viable and to bring higher earnings to farmers, it is necessary to link cotton-growing fields with textile processing and readymade garment manufacturing units, he said.