India lifts ban on cotton exports, but with rider
Write:
Samara [2011-05-20]
The Government of India which had imposed a ban on cotton exports, last month, along with levying an export duty on shipments of the same has now lifted the ban under pressure from farmer lobbyists.
A notification released by the Commerce Ministry states that, ban on cotton exports on almost all varieties of raw cotton and cotton waste has been lifted, but henceforth, exporters will have to apply for a license.
This decision from the government has come right at a time when cultivation and sowing of cotton is undertaken by the farmers. The ban had come under severe criticism from major cotton producing states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.
In a bid to rein in rising cotton prices which had ascended by 30-35 percent in the last few months, the government had issued a ban on fresh cotton export registrations on April 19 and now just within more than a month; it has now decided to withdraw the ban.