Goyal meets textile advisory group to review cotton value chain

The minister emphasised to take ownership of Kasturi cotton.

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Textiles and Minister of Commerce and Industry, met with the Textile Advisory Group (TAG) for the third time in an interactive setting to assess the status of initiatives for the cotton value chain.

Goyal went over the actions taken after the most recent interactive meeting, which was held in New Delhi. The ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, presented a comprehensive plan to boost cotton productivity through farmer education initiatives, HDPS, and international best farming practises.

The minister emphasised that now is the time to brand Indian cotton and that consumer demand for Kasturi-branded goods is a positive step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Goyal argued that the sector should take the lead and uphold the idea of self-regulation by taking ownership of the branding and certification of Indian premium cotton Kasturi.

Goyal went over the actions taken after the most recent interactive meeting, which was held in New Delhi. The ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, presented a comprehensive plan to boost cotton productivity through farmer education initiatives, HDPS, and international best farming practises.

The implementation of the cotton bales quality control order under the BIS act 2016 is essential for standardising cotton bales in terms of technical quality parameters and identifying cotton bale traceability for the benefit of all stakeholders, Goyal continued. He noted that the quality of Indian cotton fibre is of the utmost importance.

The minister commended the industry’s and its designated body’s efforts to improve the quality, traceability, and branding of Kasturi Cotton. The government will contribute money to the initiative to match what the private sector contributes.

Goyal emphasised the need for a stronger testing facility, DNA testing, and traceability in order to meet Kasturi standards. He promised that through BIS and TRAs, adequate, contemporary testing facilities would be developed.

In order to increase cotton productivity, he also emphasised the need to introduce cutting-edge technologies like High Density Planting System and high yielding cotton seeds. Goyal urged the textile industry and industry associations to work together to promote and popularise mechanisation of picking using hand-held kapas plucker machines developed by SIMA-CDRA, which would support the farmer producer.

News source: Mint