Lack of testing labs, Kasturi cotton brand in limbo

THE premium cotton initiative, Kasturi Cotton Bharat, launched with the aim of establishing a globally recognised national cotton brand, is facing early roadblocks due to inadequate testing and certification infrastructure.

- JITENDRA CHOUBEY @ New Delhi

Industry experts warn that unless these challenges are swiftly addressed, the significant momentum in long-staple cotton production could be undermined, impacting India's aspirations to compete with global benchmarks like the US's Supima and Egypt's Giza.

Launched on World Cotton Day in October 2022 by the Ministry of Textiles in collaboration with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the Textile Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), the Kasturi Cotton brand was envisioned as a symbol of quality and national pride. The goal was to shift India's global image from being a mass producer of short-staple, lower-quality cotton to a source of premium, high-grade fibre.