Kasturi Cotton gains as traceability in textiles turns crucial
Why in news?
About 2.1 lakh bales were certified as Kasturi Cotton Bharat in 2025-26, up from 47,100 in 2023-24, as global buyers demand traceability.
UPSC Relevance –
Prelims: Kasturi Cotton Bharat, CCI
What is Kasturi Cotton Bharat?
- Brand: India’s first national brand for its cotton, launched by the Ministry of Textiles on World Cotton Day (7 October) 2020.
- Who runs it: A joint effort of the government, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), trade bodies and industry. CCI and the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) handle implementation, so the industry largely regulates itself.
- How it works: Cotton from registered ginning units must meet set quality norms (fibre length, strength, low trash and contamination). Samples are tested, and certified bales get a QR code.
- Traceability: Each certified lot is recorded on a blockchain, so a buyer can trace yarn, fabric or garment back to the ginning unit and the source.
- Model: Similar to premium cotton brands abroad, like Egypt’s Giza or the U.S. Supima, which fetch higher prices because of an assured identity.
- Significance of Kasturi Cotton Bharat
- Better prices: A trusted brand can earn a premium for ginners and, if passed on, for farmers.
- Export competitiveness: Helps meet EU and U.S. due diligence rules and supports gains from trade deals like the India-UK CETA and the India-EU FTA.
- Farm to Foreign: Fits the government’s ‘5F’ vision: Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
- Digital India in agriculture: Shows how technology can add value to farm produce, as tea, coffee and spices boards are also trying.
- Resilience: Helps diversify markets at a time when U.S. tariffs have hurt Indian textile exports.
Cotton Corporation of India
- The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is a public sector undertaking set up on 31 July 1970 under the Companies Act, 1956.
- It is wholly owned by the Government of India, works under the Ministry of Textiles, and is headquartered at Navi Mumbai.
- CCI is the Centre’s nodal agency for Minimum Support Price operations in cotton. When market prices of kapas (raw seed cotton) fall below MSP, it buys from farmers. The MSP itself is fixed by the government on the recommendation of the CACP.
- Beyond price support, CCI also buys and sells cotton commercially. It supplies the textile industry and helps stabilise prices.
- Cott-Ally app. CCI launched the Cott-Ally mobile app for farmers. It provides information on MSP rates, nearby procurement centres, payment tracking and good farming practices.
Practice MCQ
Q1. With reference to Kasturi Cotton Bharat, consider the following statements:
- It was launched by the Ministry of Textiles.
- It uses blockchain technology to trace cotton through the textile value chain.
- It is a Geographical Indication (GI) tag given to cotton grown in Gujarat.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b). Statement 3 is incorrect. Kasturi Cotton Bharat is a national brand and certification for Indian cotton, not a GI tag linked to one region.