Empower Cotton Corporation of India, SIMA tells union minister

Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) Thursday appealed to Union Textile Minister Smrithi Irani to empower Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to curb alleged malpractices by cotton ginners.

Following the poor ginning practice, cotton varieties in the country have been rated as one of highly contaminated and seed coat (trash) content in the world, SIMA said in its representation to Irani.

The malpractices adopted by some of the ginners have affected the value and quality of the final products thereby affecting the spinners and farmers, SIMA chairman P Nataraj said.

The ginnners were allegedly mixing cotton waste in the virgin cotton, producing cotton with high trash content and adding water to increase the lint weight, he explained.

However, he appreciated the efforts taken by the minister and CCI chairman and managing director for bringing quality norms.

To check the malpractices, the SIMA chief said the CCI should be empowered to make periodical inspection of the ginning factories and take necessary action.