Russian govt to reduce dependence on imported cotton

27 Aug '13

2 min read

The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade is aiming to reduce the dependence of domestic textile industry on imports by reviving the cotton production in Russia on the basis of modern technologies.

George Kalamanov, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, said one of the ways to reduce dependence on imports of raw cotton and increase the level of economic security may be the revival of cotton production in Russia on the basis of modern technologies.

The Minister was speaking at a meeting on the development prospects of cotton, held recently in the city of Astrakhan, in Southern European Russia.

Deputy Minister Kalamanov said, in the last century, cotton was mainly grown in the Astrakhan region, Stavropol territory and a number of other southern regions of Russia.

The revival of domestic cotton production has not only garnered interest from the textile workers but also representatives of the defense industry, currency printing unitary enterprise Gosznak and various other sectors of the economy, he added.

The deputy minister explained that although the demand for cotton from textile enterprises is high, it is necessary to ensure production of cotton on an industrial scale with appropriate quality and at a competitive price.

For successful cultivation of cotton and cotton fibre, preparation is necessary, and federal and regional support should be extended to local farmers for the purchase of fertilizers, seeds and technology, he added.

According to the deputy minister, estimated demand for cotton fibre in the Russian textile industry by 2020 is expected to be around 200,000 tons.

In 2012, Russia imported 90,000 tons of cotton.

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