PIB | 30 May, 2022
Union
Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal held an interactive
meeting with the newly constituted Textile Advisory Group at IMC Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, on Sunday in Mumbai.
the Textile Advisory
Group has Senior Officials from the Union Ministries of Textiles,
Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Commerce, Officials from Research
and Development sector, Senior Official from the Cotton Corporation of
India Ltd., and stakeholders.
The whole of textile value chain was
represented in the consultations through lead associations and experts
in the meeting.
Goyal exhorted that containment of factors impinging on productivity
need to be tackled in time bound project mode manner and the industry
should participate in self regulatory mode. The Ginning segment should
take responsibility and make pheromone trap technology mandatory to
monitor and prevent spread of Pink Bollworm pest attack from Ginneries
and oil extraction units to cotton crop in farmers’ fields.
He suggested
that everyone be sensitized for compulsory use of pheromone trap
technology through the wide network of the Cotton Corporation of India
Ltd., combined with efforts of the State Governments in this regard.
The
Minister also urged the industry to develop models for improving
Ginning efficiency and outturn. Shri Goyal also emphasized the need for
protecting cotton crop from pink bollworm attack with contributions from
Cotton Corporation of India Ltd., Cotton Association of India,
Confederation of Indian Textile Industry and the Cotton Textiles Export
Promotion Council.
Suresh Kotak, Chairman of the Textile Advisory Group & renowned
veteran cotton person, chaired the meeting of Textile Advisory Group
constituted in pursuance of the directions of Goyal on 17.05.2022
during the Stakeholders consultative meeting at New Delhi.
He
particularly stressed the need to ensure seed availability for sowing
especially new early maturing varieties and need to revamp seed system
to enhance productivity of Indian cotton from present stagnation.
He
elaborated on possible approaches to augment availability of cotton
relating to stock possibilities domestically and from other countries.
Position on availability of cotton now was brought out and request was
made to help logistics to ensure shipping in time from three sources
internationally. He said that as per estimates of Committee on Cotton
Production and Consumption, carry over/closing stock is 41.27 lakh
bales, which is about 12.66% stock to use ratio and equivalent to stock
for 45 days consumption. Emphasizing on the need of thinking and working
together on principle of “I am because WE are” for the cotton economy.
To
look at productivity issues, C.D. Mayee, President, Indian Society
for Cotton Improvement highlighted various aspects of cotton
agro-economy including latest technique of PB knot to protect cotton
crop from pink bollworm attack. Shri Vikas Patil, Director of Extension
and Training, Commissionerate of Agriculture, Maharashtra put forth
initiatives by the Government of Maharashtra relating to productivity
enhancement, value chain development and pink bollworm management in
Cotton.
Addressing
the need of accuracy of statistics across the value chain to enable
policy decision, trade facilitation, traceability etc., Goyal
directed that a portal be created with inputs of Cotton Association,
Ginners as well as Confederation of Indian Textile Industry & the
Southern India Mills’ Association.
The portal to work on self-compliance
mode. If persuation and self-compliance do not yield results then
‘disincentives’ can be built in the systems like Cotton Corporation of
India Ltd., not to do any transactions with such defaulter and any Govt.
benefits be linked to submission of details.
The
core issue of Seed quality was deliberated in detail with dedicated
action for current season. Joint Secretary, Seeds intimated that
sufficient quantity of seed is available to meet the domestic
requirement. Industry opined need to distinguish right from wrong types.
Goyal emphasized to do campaigns in farming areas to control sale
of spurious illegal seeds.
While
addressing the approaches for augmentation in short term by import,
Secretary, Textiles Upendra Prasad Singh advised industry to
approach Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare for procedural
requirements to enable import from some destinations. As regards
extension of period of wavier of import duty up to 31.12.2022, Shri
Goyal directed the concerned authorities to finalise the matter early.
Inputs
on packaging material in HDPE/ colour thereof would need to be
facilitated with the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilisers.
The meeting was co-ordinated jointly by the Textile Commissioner and Cotton Corporation of India Ltd.