WORLD EXPORT COMMITMENTS

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Cotton A World Vision for Social and
Environmental Sustainability
10th Anniversary of ABRAPA May 6, 2009
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UN Definition Sustainability
Able to produce Cotton today, without
diminishing the ability of future generations to
produce Cotton
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Sustainability Requires

• Environmental Protection, conservation of
  resources
• Social Benefits decent work, ILO conventions
• Economically Pragmatic profitable for efficient
  producers

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World Cotton Production
Million Tons
Total Production
Sustainable Production
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WORLD BIOTECH COTTON AREA
Percent
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Technology Changes

• Irrigation management
• Pesticide formulations
• Pesticide application equipment
• Low till/no till
• Crop rotations/intercropping
• Information technology

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Pesticide Use on Cotton
of Total Pesticide Use
Insecticides
Herbicides
SEEP
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Sustainability Initiatives

• Syrian biological controls, 1970s
• FAO IPM, 1970s
• Biotechnology, 1990s
• Australian BMP, 2000
• Brazilian Instituto Algodon Social, 2008
• USA, Environmental Audit, 2008

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Sustainability Initiatives
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Market Based,
Multistakeholder Initiative to encourage improved
production practices for all cotton Brazil
involved
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Sustainability Challenges

• Low Prices
• Water Availability
• Insecticide Applications
• Oil Prices/taxes
• Child Labor/decent labor
• Consumer Perceptions

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Cap TradeThreat or Opportunity?
Cotton is a broadleaf plant Cotton is fertilizer
intensive Will Agriculture be included?
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World Cotton
Million tons
Production
Mill Use
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WORLD TRADE
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Sustainability Strategies
Demand Enhancement International Forum for
Cotton Promotion (IFCP) Proven, low-cost,
effective Techniques
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U.S. Retail Cotton Consumption
Kgs Per Capita
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Sustainability Strategies
Standardization Commercial Standardization of
Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC) World
Standards, efficiency, assurance of
quality Brazil among best
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Sustainability Strategies
Harmonization Committee for International
Cooperation Among Cotton Associations
(CICCA) Harmonization of Trade Rules
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Sustainability Strategies
Government Support Transportation
Infrastructure Communication Networks Research
Extension Enabling Regulatory Framework Rule of
Law Support without Distortions
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Cotton A Solution for 21st Century Problems
10th Anniversary of ABRAPA May 6, 2009