Over 50 Cotton buyers from around the world will visit cotton farms and gins at Narrabri NSW to get first hand info from local growers
Representatives from some of the world’s most prominent fashion brands, retailers and NGOs are heading down under to see for themselves how our local cotton is grown and to confirm the industry’s sustainability credentials.
The initiative is expected to result in increased interest in our locally grown Cotton as around 50 people travelling from around the world will land in Sydney initially, and then arrive at cotton farms and cotton gins at Narrabri NSW to hear from the farmers themselves.
These buyers are particularly interested in having their questions answered as their own end customers are asking about environmental and quality issues associated with our local cotton growing techniques, as well as the emissions levels of the machinery used to plant and harvest crops.
The Australian Cotton Tour has been made possible through the federal government’s ATMAC program, which aims to increase trade diversification and expansion opportunities to access new markets for Australia’s agricultural commodities.
It’s hoped the program will assist local Agriculture farmgate production in reaching its goal of generating $100 billion for the Australian economy annually. It comes as ABARES forecasts that Australian cotton will become the third most valuable export commodity after wheat and beef.
This is what the tour will cover
Tour: The Aussie Cotton Tour
When: Tuesday 2 May until Friday 5 May 2023
Where: Tuesday – cotton forum, Sydney. Wednesday and Thursday – farm tours, gin tour and
research centre tours in the Narrabri NSW region.
Who: Global and domestic fashion brands, retailers and NGOs, cotton industry experts, cotton farmers
Why: Showcasing Australian cotton’s sustainability credentials to fashion labels
Visuals: On-farm cotton activity and interviews with global and domestic brands, cotton farmers and cotton industry experts.
It is expected the value of Cotton exports will reach a record $2.1 billion from 2022-23 planting making Cotton the third most valuable export commodity after wheat and beef
Local cotton industry
There are up to 1,500 local farms set up to grow Cotton, but some are dryland producers and can only grow the crop in wetter seasons.
The main production areas are central and southern Queensland, northern, central and southern NSW, northern Victoria and small areas of northern Queensland, northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Growers in NSW grow approximately 66% of our local cotton, while Queensland growers almost make up the balance at 33%.
Also worth noting is that around 90% of Australia’s cotton is grown by family-run farms, so it is a crop that would benefit from corporate investment to increase production.
It is estimated the average Australian cotton farm directly creates jobs for nine people, and plants 576 hectares of cotton each year, which comprises only 10% of the total farm area.
Cotton growers supplement cotton with other crops including wheat, chickpea and sorghum with the majority also grazing sheep and cattle.
The average irrigation requirement for Cotton is 6 to 7 megalitres per hectare (ML/ha).
latest industry research indicates local growers have continued to significantly increase yields and decreased irrigation inputs. It is now estimated that 10% less water is being used to grow a 227kg bale of lint, as compared to five years ago.
The local cotton industry provides employment for more than 12,000 people industry-wide and generates $2 billion annually in export earnings.
Local cotton growers produced their biggest record crop in 2011/2012 when more than 583,000 hectares were planted. This area planted produced more than 5 million bales, with a total forecast value of close to $3 billion.
The major buyers of Australian cotton are currently China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Turkey and Thailand.
Sydney Royal Easter Show
Up to 800,000 people had the chance to see the Cotton exhibition at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show where cotton was on centre stage in the Woolworths Ag Discovery Pavilion.
Cotton Australia’s Education Manager Jenny Hughes secured the pole position in the area, securing the display directly opposite the animal petting farm and alongside the working dairy farm display.
The event provided an amazing opportunity for everyday people to come into contact with cotton and experience life on a cotton farm with virtual reality technology.
Cotton Australia’s CEO Adam Kay and Coleambally grower Joe Briggs joined staff and Ag students on Cotton Australia stand, greeting everyone with a smile and a friendly word on our world-leading fibre.
Joe Briggs, who attended the show to support the CA stand last year, returned for seven days this year and encouraged all growers to consider volunteering next year to help build understanding and knowledge about Australian cotton.
