The ministry’s notification stated that the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Order, 2023, will take effect after one year. It was initially scheduled for implementation from August 27, 2025. The government had issued the initial notification in 2023, with a one-year gestation period for the ginning industry to prepare. However, due to persistent opposition from the ginning sector, the implementation was first extended by a year in 2024, and again for another year. As a result, the order was set to come into effect this year, but it has now been extended once more—providing relief to the industry amid challenging times for the textile sector.
India’s ginning industry has opposed the stringent norms of the QCO, stating that it is unable to meet the quality standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for moisture content, trash levels, and other specifications. The QCO requires significant investment in modern machinery, but the industry is largely dominated by MSME units that operate with basic equipment and face difficulties in upgrading their plants, according to industry sources.
The Cotton Association of India (CAI) and other industry organisations had requested the extension, arguing that implementing the QCO all at once is impractical.
ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)
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