Cotlook Index: 07-09-2026
96.00 (Unch)
The rupee opened at 94.51 against the dollar, down by 2 paise.
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, Yash Chouhan, (Source: www.smartinfoindia.com)
The rupee had closed at 94.49 on Monday, whereas today it opened at 94.51 per dollar, registering a decline of 2 paise. The BSE Sensex fell by 105.47 points (0.14%) to 76,409.96, while the NSE Nifty is trading at 23,850.90, down by 46.80 points (0.20%).
Manawar Cotton Auctions Start September 11
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, Yash Chouhan, (Source: www.smartinfoindia.com)
Cotton Bidding at Manawar Mandi Starts September 11 Manawar. Responding to farmers' demands, cotton auctions will commence at the Manawar Agricultural Produce Market (Mandi) on September 11. The bidding will take place at the 'Mirchi Mandi' (Chili Market) complex located on the town's Semalda Road. Mandi Secretary Bhagat Singh Dawar stated that traders would place bids on the farmers' cotton produce during the auction process, thereby facilitating farmers in securing a fair market price for their harvest. The Mandi administration has urged farmers to obtain information regarding auction timings and other necessary details before arriving at the market with their cotton. Farmers have been advised to maintain the quality of their produce and to bring the documents required for the sale. With cotton arrivals beginning in the region, the start of local auctions is expected to make selling their produce easier for farmers.
Cotton Sowing Across More Than 150 Villages Farmers in over 150 villages of the Manawar development block have sown cotton on more than 20,000 hectares of land this year. As the crop begins to arrive, farmers require a good market for their produce. The commencement of auctions at the local Mandi is expected to benefit the region's cotton growers.
Registration via ‘Kapas Kisan’ App The Cotton Corporation of India Limited (CCI) has launched the ‘Kapas Kisan’ mobile app for cotton-growing farmers in Madhya Pradesh. Through this app, farmers can register to sell their cotton from the comfort of their homes. It also offers the facility to book a slot for selling cotton at the respective agricultural produce market center. Registration for the 2026-27 cotton season will be open from September 1 to October 31. According to Mandi Secretary Bhagat Singh Dawar, farmers can contact the WhatsApp helpline at 8269023626 for assistance with registration. He has appealed to all cotton farmers in the region to complete their registration on time.
Rainfall Deficit Hits Gujarat, Telangana Farmers
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, Yash Chouhan, (Source: www.smartinfoindia.com)
Farmers in Gujarat and Telangana Face Crisis Due to Rainfall Deficit
A lack of rainfall—stretching from Amreli in Gujarat to various parts of Telangana—has compounded the difficulties faced by farmers. A weak monsoon has deepened the crisis for Kharif crops, forcing farmers to incur financial losses.In the Savarkundla region of Amreli district, there has been no rainfall for nearly a month and a half, causing cotton crops to wither. After losing hope for a harvest from crops raised with expensive seeds, fertilizers, and hard labor, many farmers have been compelled to let their cattle graze in the fields. One farmer reported that despite spending over ₹1 lakh on cultivating cotton across 15 bighas, the entire crop was ruined due to the lack of rain. Kharif crops have also suffered damage in other parts of Saurashtra and Kutch due to scanty rainfall. The situation is equally concerning in Telangana. Between June 1 and September 1, a rainfall deficit of 73% below normal was recorded in the Vaddepalle mandal of Jogulamba Gadwal district, while the Kethepalle mandal in Nalgonda district saw a deficit of 71%. Many other mandals also experienced a rainfall shortfall of 60% or more; Kethepalle received only 124.9 mm of rain against a normal of 431.5 mm. In Vaddepalle, the lack of rain caused seeds to dry up, forcing farmers to resow cotton and chili crops. Repeated sowing, along with expenses for seeds and drip irrigation, has pushed their costs up to between ₹30,000 and ₹50,000 per acre. The financial burden is even heavier for tenant farmers.
Farmers are now pinning their hopes on September rainfall. According to experts, factors such as El Niño, local weather systems, and the uneven distribution of rainfall have exacerbated the situation. If adequate rainfall does not occur soon, the crisis facing farmers regarding their crops and income could deepen further.
India's DGFT rolls out secure API integration for export certificates
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com)
Insights: India's DGFT has introduced an Open API facility for issuing and verifying Certificates of Origin through the Trade Connect e-Platform. Eligible exporters can link ERP, accounting or business software with the CoO system to reduce duplicate entry, errors and processing time.
The facility covers preferential and non-preferential CoOs, supporting tariff-claim and customs documentation workflows.
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has introduced an Open Application Programming Interface (API) facility for the issuance and verification of Certificates of Origin (CoO) through the Trade Connect e-Platform, creating a direct systems-integration route for eligible exporters. The facility allows exporters to connect their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), accounting or other business software directly with the DGFT’s CoO system. Exporters currently have to enter CoO-related details separately on the DGFT platform even when the same data already exists in their business systems; the new API enables electronic transfer of application data to reduce repetitive data entry, cut errors and speed up the application process, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a press release. The facility is now available for use by eligible exporters and their systems, the DGFT said in Trade Notice No. 25/2026-27 dated September 7, 2026. The Open API facility supports both Preferential and Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin. Preferential CoOs are issued under Free Trade Agreements, Regional Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements, enabling exporters to claim applicable tariff concessions in the importing country. Non-Preferential CoOs are used for customs clearance, compliance, trade remedy and other trade purposes without providing tariff benefits. Exporters can obtain API credentials through the API Management section of the CoO Portal and register the IP addresses from which their systems will connect. Three APIs have been made available: the Authentication Token API for secure login, the CoO File API for submission of applications and receipt of certificates, and the Certificate Verification API for verification of issued certificates. A transaction ledger is maintained for each application, showing the application status across Draft, In Process, Approved, Certificate Issued and Rejected stages. The ledger also captures the acknowledgement ID, file number, file date and certificate number, enabling exporters to track applications electronically. The DGFT said the facility incorporates multiple security safeguards for secure and reliable information exchange. All requests and responses are digitally signed using SHA-256 RSA digital signatures with 2048-bit X.509 certificates to ensure data integrity, sender authentication and non-repudiation. Passwords are protected using PBKDF2 hashing with a dynamic salt, access is restricted to exporter-whitelisted IP addresses, and each access token remains valid for 60 minutes. The framework covers major trade agreements and certification schemes, including India–Japan CEPA, India–Korea CEPA, SAFTA, SAPTA, ASEAN–India FTA, India–Singapore CECA, India–Malaysia CECA, India–Chile PTA, India–Mercosur PTA, India–UAE CEPA, India–Australia ECTA, India–Oman CEPA, India–EFTA TEPA, India–UK CETA, the Generalized System of Preferences and the Non-Preferential CoO Scheme. The system automatically applies the relevant fields, origin criteria and validation rules based on the agreement or certification scheme selected by the exporter.
India's Uttar Pradesh pitches textile hub plan at UP TEX 2026
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com)
Insights: Uttar Pradesh used UP TEX 2026 in Lucknow to pitch itself as a global textile and apparel hub.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged investors to build capacity across raw materials, processing, apparel, branding and exports. New handloom, skilling and UPTEX Mitra initiatives, plus an AI-readiness study, were unveiled for industry sourcing teams.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has pitched the Indian state as an emerging global textile and apparel hub, urging investors at UP TEX 2026 in Lucknow to tap its handloom, manufacturing and workforce base to create an internationally competitive textile ecosystem.
The two-day event, being held on September 8-9, 2026, brings together policymakers, manufacturers, exporters, investors and other stakeholders to examine opportunities across the textile and apparel value chain and deepen government-industry collaboration. For sourcing teams and manufacturers, the state government’s emphasis covers raw materials, manufacturing, processing, apparel, branding and exports. UP TEX 2026 is organised by the Directorate of Handloom and Textiles, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI). Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh has the ingredients to become a textile powerhouse, including handloom and handicraft heritage, skilled labour, expanding infrastructure and investor-friendly policies. The Chief Minister added that the priority is to convert the state’s potential into investment, employment and exports. He identified textiles as a major employment-generating sector for women, youth, artisans and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across rural and semi-urban Uttar Pradesh, and called for weavers, artisans, MSMEs and traditional textile clusters to be linked with national and global value chains, as per a CITI a press release. He also called for Uttar Pradesh’s traditional strengths to be combined with modern technology, innovation and global market opportunities. Closer collaboration between government and industry would be critical to unlocking investment, increasing exports and building a world-class textile ecosystem in the state, he said. He added that UP TEX 2026 could catalyse new investments, partnerships and business opportunities, strengthening Uttar Pradesh as a preferred textile investment destination and supporting India’s emergence as a global textile leader.
Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries, Sericulture, Handloom and Textiles Minister Rakesh Sachan said the state offers opportunities for companies seeking to set up or expand textile and apparel operations in India, citing its large domestic market, strategic location, improving connectivity, skilled workforce and diverse industrial base. At the inaugural programme, Adityanath launched the Handloom Weaver Prosperity Scheme, the Uttar Pradesh Textile Sector Training and Skill Development Scheme and the UPTEX Mitra portal. A CITI study on artificial intelligence (AI), AI, Automation and Digitalisation Readiness in the Indian Textile and Apparel Industry, prepared with support from the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA), was also unveiled. Industry speakers included CITI chairman Ashwin Chandran, TEXPROCIL vice chairman Ravi Sam and Ramky Group chairman Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, among others, who highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s potential for the business community. After the inaugural session, Adityanath held a separate roundtable with textile value-chain representatives, who shared policy-support expectations and investment and expansion plans for the state. The investor community was assured that all possible assistance would be provided.
Bangladesh curbs bonded cotton yarn imports as BGMEA, BKMEA protest
Tuesday 8th Sep 2026, (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com)
Insights: Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue has suspended duty-free bonded imports of 10-30 count cotton yarn, while allowing shipments against bank guarantees. Exporters must secure release of guarantees after proceeds are repatriated, with certificates from BGMEA, BKMEA or BTMA. BGMEA and BKMEA say the move raises financing pressure and could disrupt apparel exports and buyer confidence.
Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue (NBR) has suspended duty-free bonded imports of 10-30 count cotton yarn for export-oriented garment factories, while allowing those shipments to continue if exporters provide bank guarantees under a new order. Under the NBR order, the guarantee will be released after export proceeds are repatriated. Exporters seeking release of the guarantee must submit a certificate from the relevant trade body such as the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association), BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association) or BTMA (Bangladesh Textile Mills Association). Bonded export-oriented factories will therefore have to follow the same process currently used by non-bonded factories for importing raw materials against bank guarantees.
The National Board of Revenue said in a general order published on Monday and signed by Kazi Raihanuzzaman, second secretary, customs: export and bond, that the condition will apply on a trial basis to 10-30 count yarn imports under HS codes 5205, 5206 and 5207. The order takes effect immediately, but consignments with a bill of lading (B/L) already issued, or shipments completed before the order date, will not fall under the restriction.
The commerce ministry, the tariff commission and other stakeholders had been working on the issue to protect local industry and prevent misuse of the bond facility. BGMEA and BKMEA have protested the decision and asked the Ministry of Commerce to withdraw it immediately. In a joint letter sent on Tuesday, signed by BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan and BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem, the two associations alleged that the move was taken without prior discussion and would effectively force exporters to buy yarn from local mills. Local media outlets reported that BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem viewed the decision as unwelcome at a time when talks with the government were continuing on revision of the knit fabric import policy. According to the BGMEA-BKMEA letter, an inter-ministerial committee meeting on textile industry problems was held on August 20, 2026, chaired by the Commerce Minister. The letter said the meeting minutes included a decision to withdraw bond facilities for importing 10-30 count cotton yarn and require imports against bank guarantees. It also said the minutes recorded another decision requiring export-oriented industries to source at least 50 per cent of their yarn requirement from local spinning mills, with the remaining 50 per cent permitted for import. The associations said the matter had not been discussed during the meeting. They said that when the issue was raised afterwards, BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA were asked to decide through joint consultation and inform the ministry, but the issue was still included in the minutes despite being outside the agenda. The joint letter warned that sudden changes to the long-standing bond system could send a negative signal to foreign buyers and disrupt export activity. The associations also argued that, despite low export orders and weak yarn demand, local yarn prices were rising, which they linked to an attempt by vested interests to create monopoly conditions. Copies of the request were sent to the Commerce Secretary and the NBR Chairman, urging that no implementation steps be taken.
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews action plan for strengthening KVKs through greater State participation
Monday 7th Sep 2026, (Source: www.pib.gov.in)
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today chaired a meeting in New Delhi to review the Action Plan for strengthening Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) through enhanced participation of States. The deliberations focused on the implementation of key recommendations concerning KVKs emerging from the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference 2025, and on measures to accelerate their implementation. Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, and senior officials of the Ministry were present. Discussions focused on the action point of upgrading the infrastructure and logistics of 300 prioritized KVKs by March 2027. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized the need for active participation and timely support from State Governments to achieve the target within the stipulated timeframe. The Secretary, DARE, has engaged with the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories to mobilize financial and institutional support for the upgradation of prioritized KVKs. Several States have initiated the process through their respective State Agricultural Universities. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Chhattisgarh have received Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) from Universities/KVKs, while other States are at various stages of preparation and implementation. Also covered the action point of establishing Incubation-cum-Skill Centres in all KVKs by December 2028. Under the initiative, KVKs are being mapped with agro-based enterprises, technical partner institutions and district-specific agricultural opportunities. KVK-wise incubation plans are being developed for submission to States and Union Territories for funding and implementation support. Further detailed discussions on reforms concerning KVK personnel. The proposed reforms relating to pay, allowances and promotion of KVK staff have received approval from the Department of Expenditure (DoE). The role of State Governments in providing NPS contributions and retirement benefits for KVK staff, as applicable, was also emphasized. States were urged to undertake timely recruitment against vacancies to ensure adequate manpower for the effective functioning of KVKs and delivery of their mandated activities.
Attention was also drawn to the importance of ensuring timely release of funds to KVKs, particularly for seasonal agricultural programmes, so that planned activities are implemented within the appropriate agricultural window. Under the Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLD) on Pulses and Oilseeds programme for 2026–27, activities are being implemented across 24 States through 353 KVKs/districts, with a target area of 12,349 hectares. An area of 9,750 hectares, has already been achieved. Issues relating to fund-flow mapping and delays in the release of funds in some States were discussed. States were requested to facilitate the smooth and timely flow of funds up to ATARI and KVK levels, ensure timely availability of recommended quality seeds and varieties, and strengthen coordination during the planning and execution of demonstrations.
Review also highlighted the role of KVKs in supporting the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM DDKY). States were requested to provide adequate funding support to KVKs for implementing their mandated activities as well as district-specific action plans under PM DDKY. It was further emphasized that activities undertaken by KVKs at the district level, in addition to capacity-building programmes, should be captured and uploaded on the designated portal to facilitate comprehensive monitoring, reporting and assessment of outcomes. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that the transformation of KVKs requires strong Centre-State convergence, timely financial support, modern infrastructure, adequate manpower and effective implementation of district-specific action plans. He stressed the importance of ensuring that KVKs are equipped with the necessary infrastructure, human resources and institutional support to effectively serve the farming community and respond to emerging challenges in agriculture.Strengthened KVKs will play a crucial role in taking scientific knowledge, modern agricultural technologies, improved varieties, skills, innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities closer to farmers and rural communities. The deliberations underscored the need for States and Union Territories to accelerate implementation of the agreed action points and strengthen convergence with the Centre and other stakeholders so that KVKs emerge as effective platforms for agricultural technology dissemination, skill development, innovation and rural entrepreneurship, thereby contributing to a developed and prosperous agricultural sector.
