Chapter 2 - Cotton value addition - Neps and short fibres
In 2002, China announced its intention to use obscure test methods to determine the acceptability of nep levels and short fibre content in ginned cotton. China later relented on this announcement. Nevertheless, this episode did bring two facts to the forefront:
The inability to measure undesirable properties of fibres does not prevent the market from discriminating against them. Typically the textile manufacturers will come to the opinion that these properties are likely to be present in cotton from a particular source, and then they will avoid purchasing cotton from that source in the future. Thus, the production sector will find that it has lost access to certain markets that are sensitive to these properties. Without doubt, this does occur for cottons with elevated levels of neps or short fibres.