Centre approves Quality Control Order for mandatory certification of cotton bales
New Delhi/IBNS: Union Textile Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday approved the Quality Control Order (QCO) for mandatory certification of cotton bales to augment the supply of good quality cotton to the textile industry.
The approval was given under specification No. IS12171: 2019-Cotton Bales.
Goyal said branding of Indian Cotton will add great value to the entire cotton value chain from farmers to end users.
An MoU has been signed on December 15, 2022, between the CCI and TEXPROCIL to encourage the trade and industry to work on the principle of self-regulation by owning complete responsibility of traceability, certification and branding of “KASTURI Cotton India” with the project target period of 2022-23 to 2024-25.
A steering committee and an apex committee have been constituted and the work of traceability and certification will begin in the current cotton season.
A holistic plan to enhance cotton productivity by targeting the technology of HDPS, Closer Spacing, and ELS has been approved.
It is based on public-private partnership with a cluster-based and value chain approach. Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared this pilot plan to be implemented from 2023-24.
Goyal emphasised strengthening the testing facility needed to conform to KASTURI standards, DNA testing and traceability.
He assured that adequate modern testing facilities would be created through BIS and TRAs (Textile Research Associations).
BIS will ensure the setting up of a DNA testing facility for the textile industry by convergence with the Ministry of Textiles, he added.
He also appealed to the industry to focus on the quality and traceability of the entire textile value chain.
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