The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) today requested the Gujarat government to take necessary steps to curb alleged adulteration practice followed by some cotton ginners in that state.
In a letter to Gujarat Water supply, Agriculture, Cooperative minister, Babhubhai B Bokhiriya, SIMA Chairman M Senthilkumar alleged that some ginners were mixing cotton waste in the virgin cotton with profit motive, which affected the image of Gujarat and also strenuous efforts put in by the farmers not only in the dometic, but also in the International markets.
Stating that the SIMA member mills were sourcing 60 to 70 lakh bales from Gujarat, he said that these mills have now now reduced the volume of purchase from the state by 40 to 50 per cent, and started sourcing cotton from other states and also contracted significant volumes for imports from countries like West Africa.
Gujarat, which produced about 120 lakh bales of cotton, can consume only 15 lakh bale at the maxium and remaining had to be consumed predominantly by the mills in Tamil Nadu and in other parts in the country, he pointed out.
