Powerloom weavers in Tamil Nadu have urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to address their concerns regarding a proposed Quality Control Order (QCO) on viscose rayon staple spun yarn with the Central Government.
According to the Tamilnadu Federation of Powerloom Associations, no other country imposes QCOs on textile products. The entire viscose textile chain has been negatively affected since the introduction of the QCO on viscose fibre last year.
Tamil Nadu houses nearly 25 lakh powerlooms, with two lakh transitioning from cotton to viscose weaving in recent years. These powerlooms utilise around 70 per cent of the viscose staple yarn produced by over 80 textile mills in the region.
Due to the state’s monopoly in the production of viscose rayon staple cut fiber, mills have faced shortages, compelling them to import fiber costing Rs 25 per kg less than domestic options. However, last year's QCO on viscose fiber restricted these imports, slowing down the entire viscose textile industry.
In Sep’24, the Central government announced plans to extend the QCO to viscose yarn. With an already sluggish market, many powerlooms have been sold as scrap, and the QCO on yarn threatens to deal another heavy blow to weavers in the state.
The Federation has called on the Chief Minister to appeal to the Central government to remove QCOs on textile products to support the struggling powerloom sector in Tamil Nadu.
