Cotton import duty waiver extended till December-end

The government has extended the customs duty exemption on cotton imports until December 31, 2026, as daily arrivals stay below 70,000 bales in the new marketing season. Textile body CITI's chairman Ashwin Chandran said the move keeps input costs in check, gives predictability to the value chain and boosts competitiveness as the industry targets $100 billion in exports by 2030.