In the past, India was also an important exporter of cotton textiles, but is less now because of the rise of other exporters, especially China. The adoption of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genetically modified cotton, along with high yielding hybrids and increased irrigation, has underpinned further development of India’s cotton sector. Cotton production increased rapidly from 2.3 Mt in 2000 to 6.3 Mt in 2013. With area projected to increase 4.2% p.a. India’s cotton yield in 2011-13 averaged 0.5 t/ha, compared to the global average of 0.8 t/ha.