Kasturi Cotton Bharat Uses Blockchain For Traceability
The Ministry of Textiles’ Kasturi Cotton Bharat program is setting a new benchmark in cotton traceability, certification, and branding in India. Launched through a collaboration between the Government of India, trade bodies, and industry stakeholders, this pioneering initiative was formalized with a budgetary support of Rs 30 crore, including Rs 15 crore contributed by trade and industry bodies. The agreement was signed on December 15, 2022, between the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), representing the Government of India, and the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL).
The Kasturi Cotton Bharat program employs cutting-edge QR-based certification technology at every stage of processing, ensuring complete traceability of Kasturi Cotton Bharat-tagged bales throughout the supply chain. To further enhance transparency, a blockchain-based software platform has been introduced, providing end-to-end traceability and transaction certificates. A microsite featuring QR code verification and blockchain technology has been developed to support this initiative.
The program, which operates on a national scale, is promoted both domestically and internationally. It is not limited to state-level allocations. Under this initiative, stakeholders across the entire Indian cotton value chain, including those in Andhra Pradesh, have been equipped to produce Kasturi Cotton Bharat-branded cotton following the established protocols.
To date, 343 modernized ginning and pressing units, including 15 in Andhra Pradesh, have been registered for participation in the Kasturi Cotton initiative. Approximately 100 bales from Andhra Pradesh have already been certified under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat brand, underscoring the program’s rapid progress and impact on the Indian cotton industry.
