Organic cotton production falls 8% in 2011-12 – Report

“Over the last year, Textile Exchange has been successful in bringing organizations together with a focus on finding solutions and creating opportunities for the organic cotton industry. We have made a lot of progress in raising awareness, particularly through the efforts of the Organic Cotton Round Table. This will propel us forward in the coming year.

After the dramatic declines reported last year, we are continuing our active collaboration with the industry to support this ongoing progress.”

Looking Ahead

“Looking ahead, we are hopeful that organic cotton production will remain fairly stable,” said Truscott. “The situation in India is still fragile – access to good quality non-GMO seed is critical and better investment models are needed.

"We also cannot predict whether Syria will make a recovery next year and again export fiber. In addition, the uncertainty of rainfall at the right time in the US and Latin America will play a significant role in determining growth.”

In last year’s report, Textile Exchange encouraged organizations to come together to work toward solutions for farmers who faced difficulty in accessing good quality non-GMO seed and suffered from an uncertain market.

In November 2012, Textile Exchange hosted the first Organic Cotton Round Table at their global conference in Hong Kong. 90 people representing farmers, manufacturers, brands, retailers and support organizations attended the inaugural event.

This demonstrated a high level of interest in finding solutions. This group and its work continue today and the group will reconvene at the global conference in Turkey (November 2013) with an open invitation to the industry.

More action is needed to drive change and increase the amount of brands and retailers who connect from the farm to the final product. Textile Exchange encourages brands to rethink intimacy and commitment in their supply chains and seek assistance and support from the most reliable resources whenever needed.

In the report, Textile Exchange emphasises the role that organic agriculture plays as a “beacon” for the industry; enlightening the entire agricultural sector with techniques and technologies for working within natural ecosystems.

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