Conclusion

There are nine components that make up an adequate system of process and quality controls for an HVI cotton classification system:

• Machine error must be minimized by well engineered and constructed HVIs.
• Cotton samples must be representative of an entire cotton bale.
• Ambient conditions in diverse laboratories must be kept stable at targeted
• levels.
• Equilibrium moisture content must be achieved in the cotton samples before
• testing.
• Calibration procedures must be adequate and consistent among the satellite
• HVI facilities.
• Calibration of satellite HVIs must be frequently verified by check-tests at
• central quality control HVIs.
• Standards cottons must be exceptionally homogeneous.

The bale record represented by samples must be accurate and delivered to HVI facilities within a timeframe that facilitates orderly marketing. Check-test samples going to the centralized quality control facility must be delivered and tested rapidly.

Certification of bale identities and accompanying fibre property data must be reliable and must be communicated in a timely manner.

Given these components, the imperatives of funding, and the realities of training and management, it seems very likely that globalization of HVI classification of cotton must be advanced one country at a time. The feasible role of an international authority is probably limited to advice, facilitation, and perhaps in some cases a quality control oversight role. All experience to date says that meaningful quality control is a relentless, time-sensitive task, which would make global centralization either too slow or too expensive. If cotton is being tested on a daily basis, then check-testing must be done on a daily basis and the lag between satellite testing and check-testing must be minimized. Otherwise, errors cannot be corrected in a timely manner and the integrity of the data on fibre properties is lost.