Implementation of standardisation and grading system at grassroots level is vital for the promotion of contamination-free and clean cotton produce in the country.
The government has evolved a comprehensive strategy to boost production of contamination-free cotton for meeting growing challenges of World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime.
According to official sources, quality control measures have been devised to fulfil the requirements of export and domestic use of cotton and the handling procedures for contamination-free cotton in ginning factories. The strategy envisaged standardisation of cotton and recommendatory measures to the provincial governments for producing contamination-free cotton.
It has been decided to conduct grading of seed cotton and classification of lint cotton through its classes or the approved private inspection companies. The private inspection companies will be pre-qualified for certifying the quality of cotton.
Training in cotton grading and classes for growers, ginners, spinners, exporters and other persons of public and private sectors would be conducted to achieve the objectives, the sources added. In addition, he added, a campaign was also being launched for the last two years to encourage cotton growers and the ginners in bringing down the contamination level to five grams per bale from 19 grams per bale.