BIS Invests ₹38.72 Crore to Strengthen Cotton Fibre Testing Across 21 Laboratories
National project targets 22 HVI Testers and 44 Trash Analysers across key cotton-producing regions
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is strengthening cotton fibre testing infrastructure across India through a ₹38.72 crore national project aimed at upgrading testing facilities in key cotton-producing regions. The initiative is being implemented under BIS’s Scheme for Supporting Other Laboratories for Creation/Augmentation of Test Facilities in Critical Areas, with approval from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India.
21 Laboratories to Receive Testing Infrastructure
Under the project, BIS is providing direct financial support to modernise 21 laboratories operated by the Textiles Committee, Power Loom Service Centres and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI).
The planned infrastructure deployment includes:
Infrastructure Component | Planned Deployment |
|---|---|
High Volume Instrument (HVI) Testers | 22 Units |
Trash Analysers (TA) | 44 Units |
Participating Laboratories | 21 Network Labs |
BIS has already made significant progress during the year, with 14 HVI Testers and 28 Trash Analysers installed and commissioned across 13 laboratories. These include 11 laboratories operated by the Textiles Committee and two laboratories of the Cotton Corporation of India.
Testing Network Covers Major Cotton-Producing States
The laboratories are distributed across the Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern zones of the country. The network covers major cotton-producing regions across Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
The upgraded facilities are intended to support more consistent and accurate assessment of cotton fibre quality. Testing plays an important role in quality assessment, pricing, export competitiveness and quality assurance across the cotton-to-textile supply chain.
India accounts for approximately 23% of global cotton production, making reliable fibre testing infrastructure an important component of the country's cotton sector. The BIS initiative is aimed at establishing standardised testing capabilities across key regional nodes and addressing infrastructure gaps in cotton fibre testing.