SISPA Seeks Permanent Removal of Import Duty on Cotton

Coimbatore: The South India Spinners Association (SISPA) has urged the central government to permanently remove the import duty on cotton, a demand raised at the association's 35th annual general meeting held in Coimbatore.

The meeting was chaired by SISPA president R. Arun Karthik, with honorary secretary S. Jagadeesh Chandran presenting the annual report for the year 2025-26. Discussions were held on key issues facing the spinning industry, following which several resolutions were passed.

The association thanked the Tamil Nadu government for its move to exempt the 11 percent import duty on cotton till October 31, 2026, and requested the state government to continue pressing the central government to remove the cotton import duty permanently.

SISPA also appreciated the Tamil Nadu government for not increasing electricity tariffs in 2026 and requested that a stable power tariff policy be continued for the next three years, along with a reduction in Maximum Demand Charges.

The association urged measures to increase the production of quality cotton in Tamil Nadu, including providing farmers with improved seeds, increasing productivity and yield, and setting up transparent cotton auction centres along with better marketing facilities.

SISPA also called on the Tamil Nadu government to introduce a special scheme offering a 25 percent capital subsidy for mechanisation, automation technology and power-saving investments in spinning mills.

Further, the association stressed the need for arrangements to ensure eligible migrant workers employed in spinning mills have access to essential commodities such as rice, wheat, pulses and cooking oil, and to enable them to avail benefits from fair price shops and government welfare schemes in the areas where they work.

SISPA also demanded that the central government formulate a stable, industry-friendly policy to ensure adequate and uninterrupted availability of synthetic fibres at competitive prices, and called for additional support for technology, research and product development for value-added yarn and fabric production.

The association requested that warehouses of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) be set up in major cotton-consuming centres in Tamil Nadu, and that the 30-day deadline for lifting cotton procured through CCI be extended to 90 days.

A special event marking SISPA's 35th anniversary was also held as part of the gathering. SIMA chairman and Pallava Group managing director Durai Palanisamy attended as chief guest. Tamil Nadu Minister for Backward Classes Welfare and Coimbatore District in-charge Minister V. Sampath Kumar attended as special guest.

SISPA felicitated and honoured the minister at the event. The "Visionaries of SISPA Award" was presented to former presidents R. Chinniyan and R. Kuppusamy, who contributed to the growth of the association, in the presence of the minister.

SISPA also submitted a memorandum containing various industry-related demands to Minister V. Sampath Kumar.