The Hindu Business Line : Alps Ind plans to expand organic cotton acreage

Alps Industries, the largest producer of vegetable dyes for the textile sector, plans to expand its organic cotton business, while consolidating its core strengths, according to its Chairman Mr K.K. Agarwal.

The New Delhi-based company plans to increase its acreage under organic cotton to 10,000 acres from 4,000 acres. It is talking to farmers and cooperative societies in several cotton-growing States, he told Business Line here.

Alps has adopted the contract farming route to grow organic cotton in Orissa, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The company has established a capacity of producing 1,000 kg/day. Of this, 30-40 per cent is the popular indigo dyes, used in the textile sector. Interestingly, 70 per cent of the production is shipped annually to one US company — Park B. Smith Inc, he said.

Quality mark

Eager to promote vegetable dyes, which are eco-friendly, Mr Agarwal said the country needs a certifying agency that can give a quality mark. The company, on its part was ready to provide the expertise to entrepreneurs and organise awareness programmes for its promotion, he said.

Alps Industries believed in `Farm to Fashion', and found potential application of vegetable dyes in textiles, agriculture, interiors and so on. It is possible to increase colour yields, production and use genetically modified seeds to get better results, said Mr Agarwal, who took to these natural dyes in 1991, with an initial research and development work with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Vegetable dyes such as indigo, lac and so on, provide an alternative to synthetic dyes. However, big mills are still not willing to take to the sector. To increase farmer interest, Mr Agarwal suggested production purchase agreement, attractive price and crop insurance schemes. This will be an incentive for farmers with least risk as well as confidence for companies.

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