Government Assistance Needed to Maintain Purity
February 10, 2011 Egyptian cotton is a strategic crop with a rich history and is considered a main pillar of Egypt’s national economy. However, the Egyptian cotton industry is currently facing several problems that have led to a significant decline in production volume in recent years, with the most recent harvest totaling only about 100,000 tonnes of lint cotton.
The decline in Egypt’s cotton production volume has encouraged some countries to produce long and extra-long varieties. There has also been an increase of U.S. Pima cotton planting due to government subsidies.
To regain its status among world cotton varieties, Egyptian cotton needs assistance from the government and research sectors. The best returns for the producer will be realized through production technology customized to suit Egyptian cotton, which will increase yields and ensure the continuity of cotton planting and competition.
In addition, the availability of in-kind subsidies for producers through the contribution of the state and agricultural cooperatives will help producers in several ways.
Planting should be supervised by cooperatives to maintain the purity of lines and varieties and protect them from mixing and deterioration. Meanwhile, breeding efficient, high-quality new varieties through genetic modification can increase yield, shorten the growing cycle, and improve the resistance to drought, salinity, pests and other factors. Conducting experiments with biotechnology also helps protect the environment from contamination.
There are various steps that growers can take to maintain the strength of the Egyptian cotton industry:
• Plant cotton in its usual cycle, taking steps to gain the best yield and returns.
• Improve cotton grade and cleanliness, as well as ensure that the harvesting process preserves cotton from contamination by avoiding the use of plastic sacks.
• Avoid using sacks sewn with nylon and sisal to protect cotton from contamination (and increase producers’ income).
• Establish a minimum-support-price system based on indicators that reflect the market situation and international prices, in addition to taking production costs into consideration.
• Announce those prices before every planting season, and determine the planting area by the needs of local mills and export opportunities for international markets.
Moreover, the Alexandria Cotton Exporters’ Association and the Egypt Cotton Association should continue working together to find new destinations for exports and promote the Egyptian cotton logo through fashion houses and international brands.
These activities will help CATGO fulfill its role of preventing the mixing of any varieties or grades, minimizing deterioration and contamination during the handling of seed cotton in ginneries and lint cotton during ginning and pressing; and using HVI instruments to test the technical and physical properties to ensure it meets the needs of spinners, both in Egypt and around the world.
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