According to statistics, from January to August, Hangzhou region imported 117 batches of cotton, in 181,805 bales, and 38,045 tons, worth of US $48.71 million.

The State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of Hangzhou found that 112 batches of cotton imports had problems of quality failure and weight shortage, with failure rate reaching to 95.7 percent.

Among them, 85 percent approved to have quality failure, main reasons including quality grade demotion, micronaire and fiber strength not up to contractual requirements. Nearly, 93 lots were short of weight.

Main supplying countries were the US and India. Among the above mentioned cotton imports, 98 lots were from the US, accounting for 83.8 percent of the imports, 16 lots were from India, accounting for 13.7 percent of the arrivals. US high-grade cotton imports proved to have higher rate of rank demotion.

Similarly, US cotton imports also had serious shortage problem. One cargo arrived with 21 containers, among them a container marked 88 bales in packing list, but the actually delivered bales were 12, representing a shortfall of 76 bales. The situation was really rare.

State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of Hangzhou reminds import enterprises to specify acceptance provisions on specific quality, quantity and weight while signing contracts. This will facilitate the inspection and quarantine agencies to inspect and issueproof documents, in order to claim for compensation against foreign suppliers, and minimize economic losses of importers, as well as to protect the interests of local enterprises.
 
 
Fibre2fashion, News Desk - China