Tamil Nadu powerloom weavers have urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to discuss the planned quality control order (QCO) on viscose rayon staple spun yarn with the central government.
According to the Tamilnadu Federation of Powerloom Associations, no other nation enforces QCO on textile goods. The whole viscose textile chain has been adversely affected and is experiencing sluggishness since the implementation of QCO on viscose fibre last year.
Over the years, two lakh of Tamil Nadu’s almost 25 lakh powerlooms switched from weaving cotton to viscose.
Almost 70 % of the viscose staple yarn produced by more than 80 textile mills are used by the powerlooms in the State.
Because there was a monopoly on the manufacture of viscose rayon staple cut fibre, the mills that had trouble finding the fibre imported it, and the price of the imported fibre was ₹25 per kilogramme below the domestic costs. But last year, the Central government imposed QCO on fibre, which reduced imports. As a result, the entire chain of viscose textiles is now moving slowly.
In light of this, the government announced in September of this year that viscose yarn will be subject to QCO.
The lacklustre market has already led to the sale of some powerlooms as scrap, and the QCO on yarn would hurt Tamil Nadu’s powerloom weavers. According to the Federation, the Chief Minister need to bring up the matter with the Centre and request that it eliminate the QCOs on textiles.