Cotton Production Prospects for the Decade to 2005: A Global Overview Book

Cotton plays a vital multisectoral role in the economies of many developing countries. It is a major exchange earner and a valuable cash crop for many smallholder farmers, thus contributing to efforts to increase farmer incomes. Cotton is a major source of fiber for the textile and apparel industries, as well as a valuable source of protein for food and animal feed. Over the past decades, performance patterns among different countries ' cotton industries have diverged widely. Some industries have experienced decline or stagnation, whereas others have expanded rapidly. Globally, cotton industries are facing several strategic challenges that affect not only cotton ' s competitiveness with man-made fibers in the textile industry, but also its profitability and the sustainability of production, even in countries with a dynamic cotton industry. With consumption increasing steadily, and new acreage for production constrained, any expansion in production is likely to come from increased yields rather than from increased areas devoted to cotton growing. This will require the introduction of new technologies for efficient production from limited areas. This study examines current yield and quality levels of cotton and assesses the potential for production improvement during the decade ahead, seeking to: (a) increase the profitability of cotton and its by-products for growers; and (b) improve cotton ' s competitive position in the marketplace. The study identifies prospects for improvement in cotton production technology and demonstrates how this information can be shared, focusing on current and future cotton production technologies in the major cotton-producing countries: China, the UnitedStates, the former USSR, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Turkey, and Egypt.