The economy is forcing the industry to go in for better quality cotton to make the product competitive in quality as well as price. Without quality assurance, our cotton can not fetch reasonable price and not only the exporter, but even grower will not receive a market price for low quality cotton. Adequate availability of quality cotton is the prime concern of the industry. Cotton quality has assumed a much greater significance because of the rapid technological developments in the textile sector. The high level of contamination and indifferent quality of much of the local crop are leading Indian spinners to import large amounts of foreign cotton

Cotton harvesting

First picking of cotton should be done when 30-35% bolls open fully. Picking should be done early in the morning. Due to humidity picking of cotton is easy and there is no sticking of dried leaves, and other contamination. At the time of picking cotton should be kept separately according grading that is clean and without contaminated cotton, yellowish cotton and defected cotton which is not fully open. Second picking should be done 15-20 days after first picking. At the time of picking first pick clean cotton and then affected cotton. It should be picked separately of different varieties. After picking it should be dried 3-4 days in sun with due care. Cotton should be stored at clean and dry place.

Contamination

Apart from kind of contamination, stickiness and the smell of seedcoat are other factors the spinners have to face while using cotton. A bale of Indian cotton of 170 kg will typically contain human hair, other fibres such as jute, metal, scrap, woven plastic, and plastic film. The presence of foreign matter and dust in Indian cotton could be as high as 5% against to that of 1.5% in foreign cotton.

• At the time of picking care is not taken and for more weight there is addition of bolls.
• Open transportation of cotton.
• Handling and storing of cotton is not carefully done.
• Due to faulty method of ginning there is presence of small broken cottonseeds, grease and oil in the lint.
• The high level of contamination is due to the fact that cotton here is hand picked and ginning is mostly done in old factories

b. Remedies

Though there is difference in cotton fibre property it can be keep less contaminated by adopting recommended improve techniques, careful cotton picking and post harvest techniques quality of cotton can be kept uniform.

The efforts to improved cotton quality has taken by central institute of research on cotton technology, cotton corporation of India, east India cotton association and Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton marketing association in improvement in cotton picking, storage, ginning and pressing etc. Also in private and co-operative sector there is facility of double roll, saw ginning, pressing, having facility of pre-cleaning, pneumatic and autocorder are established. These are helpful in improvement of cotton quality. In India cotton picking is done by hand picking. But there is higher percentage of trash content.

• Picking of cotton should be done in the morning because due to humidity there is no sticking of dried leaves and other trash.

• At time of picking good quality and fully open bolls should be picked separately and keep separate. Then pick yellowish, cotton from damaged bolls and kawady cotton separately and keep it separate.

• Cotton of different varieties should be picked separate and keep separately.

• After picking cotton should be dried in sunlight for 3-4 days and then store in dry and clean place.

• Cotton should be transported in close or by covering the cotton properly.

• Also there should be careful handling and storing to avoid contamination.

Also at the time of cultivation, varieties having good quality of fibres should be sown by following the recommended practices of cultivation.