India again extends implementation of QCO on cotton for one year

21 Aug '24

1 min read

India again extends implementation of QCO on cotton for one year

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The Indian government has extended the implementation of the Quality Control Order (QCO) on cotton by one year, now set to take effect on August 27, 2025.
The QCO, which enforces stringent quality standards, faces opposition from India's ginning industry, largely comprised of MSMEs, due to the high costs of modernisation required to meet the standards.

The Indian government has once again extended the implementation of the Quality Control Order (QCO) on cotton for one year. The Ministry of Textiles issued a notification stating that the QCO will now come into effect from August 27, 2025. The government has implemented QCO on polyester, viscose fibre, and other products, but it has not taken the same tough stand with cotton fibre.

According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Textiles last week, the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Order 2023 will now take effect from August 27, 2025. It was initially set to come into effect in 2024 and was originally scheduled for 2023.

India’s ginning industry is opposed to the stringent norms of the QCO. The industry is unable to meet the quality standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for moisture, trash, and other specifications. The QCO requires heavy investment in modern machinery, but the industry is largely dominated by MSME units. These units operate with basic machinery and face difficulties in modernising their plants.

The Cotton Association of India (CAI) and other industry organisations had requested an extension, believing that implementing the QCO in one go is impractical.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

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