African cotton delegation on study tour of Gujarat

23 Nov '10

3 min read

Delegates from eight African cotton growing countries which include Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be in Ahmedabad from November 24 to 26.

The delegation is led by Mr Mathais Knappe, Programme Manager, Cotton, Textiles and Clothing, International Trade Centre, Geneva – Switzerland.

Even though bestowed with the best of climatic and natural resources and other conditions, major problems faced by the cotton growers and the entire value chain from Eastern Africa includes lack of inputs, modern techniques in farming and infrastructure.

This is where the subcontinent entities can learn from the Indian cotton farmers and rest of the textile value chain and which is also the objective behind the visit that will lead to mutual cooperation and potential business partnerships.

The International Trade Centre - Switzerland led African delegation will unfold the path for the 'India - Africa Co-operation along the Cotton Value Chain'.

A series of meetings across the cotton textile-value chain have been planned on the first two-days of the visit, which includes visits on day -1 to Khadigramodhyog Mandal in Ranpur to observe the khadi and handloom/ weavers/ knitting activities and Dhanduka Cooperative Cotton Ginning and Pressing Society Limited.

At Dhandhuka, the delegation will also have group discussions with farmers about seeds, pesticides and fertilizers, setting up and running of G&P factories and understanding the benefits of cotton co-operatives.

A meeting between the African Delegation with the Agriculture & Cooperative Minister, Mr Dilipbhai Sanghani, State Principal Secretary in the Ministry, Director (Agriculture) and other Government officials has been planned in the evening.

On day – 2, the African eight-member cotton delegation will visit the government Agricultural Cotton Research Farm in Viramgam after which it will pay a visit to the garment manufacturing unit of Arvind Mills in Santej, where a discussion on organic cotton has also been organised. In the afternoon, the delegation will visit the TMC Ginning Plant of Raja Industries and the delinting plant at Pasupati Ginning, both in Kadi.

On November 26, day - 3 of the visit, a meeting between the delegates and various stake holders across the cotton textile value chain has been planned at Hotel St Laurn. This meeting will have experts from the value-chain like Dr PR Roy, Director - Fibre2fashion, Mr Suresh Kotak, Chairman - Kotak Group and Mr Mathais Knappe, addressing those present.

There will be presentations on various topics from Mr Viren Mehta, Head (Marketing) - fibre2fashion, Mr Rahul Jitendra - Acme International, Dr DB Desai, President – Gujarat Seed Producers' Association, Dr AG Patel, Retd GM - Bayer India Ltd., Mr Gautam Shah, Chairman – Sagar Group and Mr Hasmukh Raval, Chairman - All India Co-op Cotton Federation and GUJCOT.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

More Textiles News - India...