The 76th ICAC International Cotton Consultation Meeting held in Uzbekistan's capital city, Tashkent, addresses developments in cotton production and innovative uses of cotton. Barış Kocagöz, Chairman of Parliament representing Izmir Commodity Exchange (ITB) and Chairman of the National Cotton Council (UPK) as well as Şeref İyiuyarlar, Board Member of ITB and Secretary General Prof. Ünal Evcim, representing UPK, participates the meeting.
The General Meeting with theme 'Cotton in the Age of Globalization and Technological Development' is attended by 345 people representing 16 member countries, 4 international organizations and representatives of 9 non-member countries.
UPK Secretary General Ünal Evcim explains the effect of GMO and GMO-free cotton production on world cotton production with the presentation of "GMO-Free Cotton" Project developed by ITB and UPK. Cotton production without GMOs, considered as one of the most striking aspects of the meeting, is discussed along with several criteria.
Turkey's Most Prominent GMO-Free Cotton Production
Cotton with GMO production in 15 countries including those countries such as India, China, USA, Pakistan, Brazil that have a history of 20 years and the large cotton producer countries is assessed according to UPK General Secretary Ünal Evcim's report entitled "Cotton Production Experiences With and Without GMOs and Deductions for the Future" The presentation where it is discussed to what extent the cotton with GMO production has realised its promises about its yield and quality as well as production cost and environmental and human health also explains why Turkey prefers to remain as a country producing only GMO-free cotton and the results obtained from this practise.
"Turkey has been able to continuously improve its product quality and yield using only non-GMO seed and thus leaving behind all other countries in the world that use GMO seeds and have settled into second place after Australia. Our 'GMO Free Cotton' project, which is developed by our Commodity Exchange and our Council, is an awareness initiative that can bring extraordinary attention to the Turkish cotton and those textile and apparel industrialists who use this cotton all around the world. Increasing consumer awareness and environmental awareness will serve as a driving force turning this opportunity into an added-value", says Ünal Evcim.
Increase By 10% Is Expected In World Cotton Production
The Chairman of the Assembly of ITB and Chairman of the UPK, Barış Kocagöz, states world cotton production is projected to increase by 10 percent in the 2017/18 season, while the world consumption is expected to increase by 3 percent. It is estimated that production will exceed consumption and result stocks will not change at all. "In the 2017/18 season, it is expected that the Chinese stocks will decrease in the first half of the year, whereas the world result stock save for China will increase in the same amount. However, we think the timing designated for the imports start again may affect the cotton market since the inventory figures in China are not clear", comments Kocagöz.
Barış Kocagöz also informs the meeting that world cotton consumption has reached 24 million tons in 2016, but this value is still 9 percent behind the 2007 peak.
"Cotton yarn consumption has declined up to 27 percent while polyester use has risen up to 67 percent," adds Kocagöz, suggesting the obstacles ahead in cotton product use are the competition of synthetic fibres and the sale of cotton products at higher retail prices."It is planned to develop product logo or labels that will be used to promote the cotton as natural, sustainable and renewable fibre and to help consumers determine cotton content of products for strategies to increase demand for cotton products. It is also decided that the support of the government should be sought for the correct labelling of textile products and for the customs to strictly monitor counterfeit import", suggests Kocagöz. The 77. The ICAC International Cotton Consultation Meeting will be held in Abidjan in the beginning of December 2018 through the invitation of Côte D'ivoire's government.
