India will have quality control for cotton bales through mandatory certification as textile minister Piyush Goyal has approved the Quality Control Order (QCO) on Tuesday. The Indian government will notify the QCO, which will make certification mandatory under specification No. IS12171:2019-Cotton Bales. However, cotton traders are concerned about the higher cost of compliance.
The QCO will be finally examined by the ministry of law and justice and will be notified shortly, according to a government source.
On Tuesday, Goyal presided over the fifth interactive meeting with the Textile Advisory Group (TAG) in New Delhi to review the progress of initiatives for the cotton value chain. He pointed out that the quality of Indian cotton fibre is beneficial for farmers and the industry. Branding of Indian cotton will add great value to the entire cotton value chain, from farmers and ginners to cotton users, right up to the consumers.
However, cotton traders are sceptical about the new provisions. They feel that compliance with the new rules will add to the cost of trade. Sellers will have to get cotton certified, which will increase the extra financial burden. The immediate impact will not be positive due to the increased cost of trade. The industry will get benefits, but this will become clear later.
