Cotton Australia is encouraging Australians to use World Cotton Day as an opportunity to learn more about the country’s cotton industry. Australian cotton growers are joining in the celebrations and connecting with farmers around the globe to celebrate the natural fibre they grow, the successes they have recorded, and the goals they still want to achieve.
“World Cotton Day is a valuable opportunity to learn more about Australian cotton. I encourage all Australians to use World Cotton Day as a moment to discover our industry and the huge contribution our growers make to our nation. Australia may be a relatively small producer of cotton compared to other countries, but what we lack in size we make up for in punch, as a leader in efficiency, sustainability, fibre quality, and profitability,” Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said in a press release.
“Over the past 60 years or so, since our industry started developing in Australia, our growers have made significant improvements in the way they grow the crop, which is having a meaningful, positive impact at the farm-level. Since 1992, producing a bale of cotton in Australia now takes 48 per cent less water, 34 per cent less land, and 97 per cent less insecticides. Our growers also make significant contributions to regional communities, with 93 per cent spending the vast majority of their business expenses in rural towns, and 71 per cent making regular donations to local charities and programmes,” Kay added.
“We are continuing our work in the sustainability space, and our growers and industry representatives are currently finalising our sustainability targets for the next five years, which we look forward to launching soon. Likewise, we want to continue sharing our story with the community, answer the questions they have, and dispel myths about our industry. Our growers are very thankful for the rain that has fallen in many cotton growing areas in recent months, but we hope the drought continues to break and all farmers will get back on their feet soon,” Kay said.
Approximately 90 per cent of Australia’s cotton businesses are family farms, producing about 80 per cent of the crop. The average Australian cotton farm is family-owned and operated; directly creates jobs for nine people; is run by growers with an average age of 47 years; grows 576 hectares of cotton, comprising 10 per cent of the total farm area; supplements cotton with other crops including wheat, chickpeas and sorghum; many Australian cotton farmers also graze sheep and cattle; includes natural areas, such as native vegetation and riparian zones, ranging from between 10 – 40 per cent of property area.
