The Indian government has postponed the implementation of the Quality Control Order (QCO) on cotton for another year. Originally set to take effect in 2023 and then delayed to 2024, the QCO will now come into force on August 27, 2025, according to a recent notification from the Ministry of Textiles.

The QCO mandates strict quality standards for cotton, including moisture and trash content, as prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). However, the country's ginning industry, largely composed of MSMEs, is struggling to meet these requirements. The industry operates with outdated machinery, and modernizing to comply with the QCO would require significant investment, which many small units cannot afford.

While the QCO has already been implemented for polyester, viscose, and other fibres, cotton has been given more leeway due to these challenges. The Cotton Association of India (CAI) and other industry bodies had urged the government to extend the deadline, arguing that a phased approach is more practical given the industry's current limitations.

This extension is seen as a temporary relief for the ginning sector, allowing more time to upgrade facilities and meet the stringent standards that will eventually be enforced.