IANS | 22 Apr, 2023
Union
Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal presided over the
sixth interactive meeting with the Textile Advisory Group (TAG), on 22nd
April, 2023, to review the progress of initiatives for cotton value
chain, as part of the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam which is being conducted
under the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' Initiative in Gujarat in Rajkot.
Goyal noted the progress in the project on Traceability,
Certification and Branding of Kasturi Cotton India and lauded that
branding of Indian Cotton will add great value to the entire cotton
value chain from farmers to end users.
He
pointed out that the quality of Indian cotton is beneficial for farmers
and industry both.
Meetings of Steering Committee and Apex Committee
have taken place and the funds for project have been released and the
work on Traceability, Certification and Branding of Kasturi India Cotton
has begun.
He
appealed to TEXPROCIL to make aggressive efforts to brand Kasturi
cotton as premium cotton in domestic and international markets.
Final
approval for Holistic plan to enhance cotton productivity by targeting
the technology of HDPS, Closer Spacing and ELS with an amount of Rs.
4186.85 lakhs was obtained from MoA&FW under NFSM.
Cluster-wise
identification of villages/farmers has been finalized in Rajasthan and
the same is in progress in all the remaining cotton growing states where
sowing will be taken up for the ensuing cotton season 2023-24.
Goyal emphasized the need for strengthening certification systems for
organic cotton and requested industry for active participation in
promotion of organic cotton production amongst cotton farmers.
The Minister advised to form a working group of experts, representative from
industry, respective Ministries & other stakeholders to have
detailed plan of action to boost organic cotton production on cluster
based approach.
Darshana V. Jardosh, Hon’ble Minister of State for Textiles and
Railways and TAG Chairman Shri Suresh Kotak also guided the TAG meeting.
Rachna Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, appealed to all cotton
value chain stakeholders to work together in a cohesive manner to
achieve the PM’s dream of five F’s from Farm to Foreign in the
Cotton Textile Value Chain and regain Supremacy in Cotton to enhance
value returns to producers.
Representatives
from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, CCI, APEDA, BIS,
other senior officials from related Ministries and stakeholders from
entire cotton value chain were also present during the meeting.
