New Delhi, Apr 16 (KNN) The Union government is making concerted efforts to elevate India's Kasturi cotton to a globally recognised brand, on par with renowned varieties like Supima and Giza.

As part of this push, dedicated laboratories for testing high-grade cotton will be established in six major cotton-producing states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

These labs will be set up in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) testing facilities, ensuring adherence to national quality standards. The move aims to bolster the global acceptance and credibility of Indian cotton by ensuring stringent quality control measures.

Kasturi Cotton Bharat, India's premium cotton variety, is produced under strict standards, with a 2 per cent cap on trash content and 100 per cent traceability to ensure its premium quality.

While India has recently branded its cotton despite being a major producer, Egypt has successfully positioned its Giza cotton brand internationally, despite modest annual output of one million bales.

Currently, the certification of Kasturi cotton is conducted through a limited number of NABL-accredited labs, which may hinder its global acceptance. Establishing dedicated testing facilities will not only ensure the quality of the product but also enhance its global recognition.

The textiles ministry is planning to finalise a comprehensive testing action plan for all textiles in the coming months, aiming to enhance overall quality standards and promote Indian textiles on the global stage.

To address concerns over the authenticity of testing reports, stakeholder consultations have been conducted to make all testing labs NABL accredited, ensuring compliance with international quality standards and boosting the credibility of the reports.

The technology upgradation plan aims to facilitate real-time testing and ensure credibility-oriented testing, streamlining the process and enhancing the reliability and accuracy of the results.

Currently, most of the labs operated by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), the Cotton Association of India, and the Textiles Research Association are not NABL-accredited, with only one out of CCI's four labs being accredited.

(KNN Bureau)