Centre drops VSF QCO in key textile reform amid wider quality norm rollbacks

The Central Government has withdrawn the Quality Control Order for Viscose Staple Fibre with immediate effect after consultations with the Bureau of Indian Standards and key industry representatives.

The move is aimed at easing raw material access for textile manufacturers who had repeatedly flagged supply disruptions, higher procurement costs and delays caused by mandatory certification.

With VSF being a key input for man-made fibre and blended fabrics, the withdrawal is expected to ensure uninterrupted supply, support MSMEs and export-oriented units, and strengthen the sector’s ongoing push under Vision 2030 to boost domestic consumption and achieve 100 billion dollars in textile exports.

The decision aligns with a broader policy shift that has seen the government ease or defer QCO requirements across several other sectors over the past few weeks. Industry bodies in plastics, chemicals, engineering goods and metals had raised similar concerns about certification-linked bottlenecks that were restricting imports of critical intermediates and inflating input costs for downstream industries.

In response, the government has recently rolled back QCOs on a range of chemical and polymer intermediates used by manufacturers in packaging, moulding, textiles, footwear and electronics. These include select grades of plastics, polymers and chemical feedstocks where industry had demonstrated that mandatory BIS approval was affecting supply availability.

The metals and engineering sectors have also witnessed relief, with QCOs on some specialised steel grades being deferred to prevent shortages for automotive, capital goods and infrastructure manufacturers who rely on imported or non-standard grades that are not always produced domestically.

The objective has been to ensure that quality norms do not disrupt production schedules or lead to higher costs in sectors that are already facing competitive pressures.