Industry stakeholders perceive the need for establishment of a Cotton Board on the lines of Coffee Board and Jute Board.

Reiterating the need for establishment of a Cotton Board, J Thulasidharan, President, Indian Cotton Federation (ICF), said such a body would help in promotion and monitoring the development of the white fibre.

“Cotton needs a regulatory mechanism. The primary data that is at present available on cotton area and production is more an estimate than factual figures. Reliable statistical information alone can guide policy initiatives for smooth trade transactions and in price management. Ginning and pressing factories – be it big or small – must report the pressing figures and marking of bales should be made mandatory under ‘Textile Control Order’, which has since been abolished,” the ICF President said in a memorandum to Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani.

He further pointed out that the developed countries such as the US, Australia and Europe were able to give absolute data to their respective governments, stressing the need for strengthening the industry’s efforts in this direction.

Cotton export data provided by DGFT is most often outdated (60 days old), he said and pointed out that the same could be updated electronically on a day-to-day basis by the mill sector and ginners to assess the cotton situation more precisely.

Seed certification

The Seed Act is outdated and the norms for certification of the seed is not appropriate for new generation cottonseed. There are over 400 cottonseed producers in the country. The norms for certification should, therefore, be made more stringent and laws amended to make the seed producer accountable for any loss incurred by the farmer.

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