Cotton contamination is a serious problem and needs to be strongly tackled to remain competitive in the world textile market. Ginning and pressing are the two important stages where contamination needs to be checked and can be efficiently controlled. This study attempts to find the perception and practices of cotton ginners towards cotton contamination. It is conducted in two important cotton growing areas of Punjab. Perception and practices with respect to both general and specialized contamination practices, types of cotton contaminants, causes of cotton contamination and general opinion regarding cotton contamination have been studied in detail. Further attempt is also made to study the difference between small and large spinners on these aspects.

Cotton, one of the principal crops of the country, plays a key role in the Indian economy and is of vital importance to the nation being a provider of employment to millions of farmers. It is an important raw material for the huge domestic textile industry. Even in the value added textile exports, cotton is the dominant fibre. India boasts of the largest area under cotton cultivation and is the third largest producer of cotton in the world. India has the distinction of growing cottons of all biological types—the Asiatic, American and Egyptian—and all staple classes from the shortest (Comillas) to the largest (Suvin). On an average, cotton is cultivated on 9 million hectares of land spread over nine states and around 40 million farmers are involved in it. India produces 13% of the world’s cotton from 21% of the total cotton acreage in the world and 5% of India’s cultivated area (2005-06).

Cotton accounts for livelihood of about 60 million people in India, both as raw and finished product. India is widely involved in the international trading network of cotton and cotton products (Mitra, 2006). With the phasing out of Multi Fibre Arrangement (MFA), quality and price competitiveness have become the most important criteria for Indian Textiles, both in thedomestic and exports market. Contamination or foreign substance in raw cotton continues to be one of the most serious problem affecting the textile quality. The need is felt much more since India is the topmost exporter of cotton yarn accounting for over 25% of the world market. Consumers world-wide, increasingly seek guarantee about contamination-free yarns (Gaur, 2005a). Ironically, over the decade Indian cotton has attained the dubious distinction of being trashiest cotton in the world with the trash percentage ranging from 6-15% (Anonymous, 2005).

Agriclture Economics Journal, Cotton Contamination, Multi Fibre Arrangement, Indian Textiles, International Textile Manufacturers Federation, ITMF, International Cotton Advisory Committee, ICAC, Financing Agriculture, Indian Cotton Cultivation, Financing Agriculture.