India Leads World in Organic Cotton Production

According to the “Organic Cotton Farm and Fiber Report 2009” issued by the non-profit group Organic Exchange, organic cotton was grown in 22 countries last year. India was the top producer, followed (in order) by Turkey, Syria, Tanzania, China, United States, Uganda, Peru, Egypt and Burkina Faso. Approximately 220,000 farmers grew organic fiber.

The report states that organic cotton production increased by 20 percent over 2007-08 to 175,113 metric tons (802,599 bales) grown on 253,000 hectares (625,000) acres. Organic cotton now represents 0.76 percent of global cotton production.

The report also states that due to the global economic downturn and decline in demand for cotton products, unsold stocks which represent between 17 and 22 percent of production (some 30,000 to 35,000 tons, or 137,789 to 160,754 bales) of organic cotton has yet to find buyers.