The master plan has recommended to ensure adequate availability of quality cotton seeds of state-of-the-art technology capable of giving higher productivity and fibre quality matching international standards and giving more thrust for Extra Long Staple Cotton. The master plan also recommends global-based agronomy practices to be adopted, mechanized harvesting and water conservation to reduce the cost of cultivation, increase productivity and meet global sustainability norms.
The Tamil Nadu textiles and clothing industry predominantly cotton-based, accounts for 1/3rd of the textile business size, 45 percent of the spinning capacity, 70 percent of the knitted garment capacity, 40 percent of the home textiles manufacturing capacity, 22 percent of the powerloom capacity, 12 percent of handloom capacity and the only State having presence of whole textile value chain.
More than 80 percent of the MSME units, especially the spinning mills are located in the State of Tamil Nadu. The actual annual cotton requirement of the textile industry in Tamil Nadu is around 120 lakh bales (170 kgs per bale) while the State hardly produces 4 to 6 lakh bales. Realizing the importance to increase cotton production to enhance the competitiveness of the industry and also augment the revenue of the cotton farmers, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, soon after assuming charge as the Chief Minister announced 'Sustainable Cotton Cultivation Mission' with necessary funds and also removed the Agricultural Market Committee fee on seed cotton (kapas), cotton and cotton waste that prevailed since 1959 with an intention to enhance the global competitiveness of the textile industry in the State and benefit the farmers.
SIMA Cotton Development and Research Association (SIMA CD & RA) is closely working with the Department of Agriculture and the
Government of Tamil Nadu in implementing various State and Central Government Schemes relating to cotton development.
In a press release issued here, Ravi Sam, Chairman, The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) stated that he met the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on November 21 atthe Secretariat in Chennai and submitted a master plan for increasing the annual cotton production from the level of 5 lakh bales to 25 lakh bales in a period of five years. "The master plan suggests pilot projects with necessary funding support to showcase the capability of Tamil Nadu cotton farmers and replicate the same across the State. The master plan has recommended to ensure adequate availability of quality cotton seeds of state-of-the-art technology capable of giving higher productivity and fibre quality matching international standards and giving more thrust for Extra Long Staple Cotton, which is the dire need of the nation. The master plan also recommends global-based agronomy practices to be adopted, mechanized harvesting and water conservation to reduce the cost of cultivation, increase productivity and meet global sustainability norms. The Chief Minister has assured to consider the master plan favourably and conduct meetings shortly in this regard."
The SIMA Chief has also submitted a memorandum appealing to the Chief Minister to strengthen the textile processing, the weakest link in the entire textile value chain with sustainable and competent technology that sustains the processing manufacturing facility and enhances the capacity which has become a challenge in Tamil Nadu with zero liquid discharge technology that has no solution for sledge / mixed salt disposal and also find a sustainable solution for water, a major raw material for textile processing. He has also said that the Association has requested the Chief Minister to personally intervene and resolve certain issues in kick-starting the SIMA textile processing park and showcase a sustainable technology to the globe and also replicate the same along the coastal area with marine outfall technology, as the State is not able to find a solution for disposing the common salt. He has stated that the Chief Minister has assured to consider the memorandum favourably and do the needful.
Ravi Sam has stated that the United States Department of Labour (US DoL) has included cotton, cotton yarn/ thread and cotton readymade garments under the TVPRA list that has a threat of bringing sanctions on the Indian cotton textiles exports to the USA, if not addressed properly. He has said that certain NGOs have exaggerated few stray cases out of proportion alleging earlier the employment of child labour and now the forced labour. He has pointed out that Tamilnadu is one of the best industrialized States not only in the country, but also across the globe in terms of compliance relating to labour environment and other sustainability measures. He has also appealed to the Hon’ble Chief Minister to recognize a competent agency and come out with common code of conduct and reduce the cost of compliance certification and also mitigate the false allegations made by the NGOs. The Chief Minister has assured to consider the memorandum favourably.
Ravi Sam also mentioned in the press release that he also met the concerned Ministers and the officials on the detailed memoranda submitted to the Hon’ble Chief Minister and briefed them on the relevant subjects.