When participating this Monday morning (7) in the plenary session of World Cotton Day, at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in Geneva, Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) highlighted the importance of cotton culture cotton for the economy and social development in Brazil.
“The GDP of Brazil's cotton production chain is around US$ 74.11 billion, considering sales of clothing products. The chain generates employment and income for 1.2 million workers”, said the minister.
At the WTO, the minister highlighted the need for measures that promote “fair, open, transparent and predictable” international trade, as intended by the World Trade Organization since its creation.
“The smooth functioning of international trade, without distortions, is fundamental for the development of agricultural productive sectors, such as cotton. For this reason, Brazil has been an active member of the WTO, always seeking to strengthen the organization's conciliatory role, guided by impartiality and equity,” he said.
She also highlighted the Brazilian production sector's commitment to environmental sustainability, remembering that Brazil is a world leader in the socio-environmental certification of cotton, with more than 80% of its production certified.
The minister recalled that, in 20 years, national cotton production grew by 226% and, in the 2017/18 harvest, Brazil harvested 2.2 million tons of lint, 11% of world production.
Brazil is the third largest cotton exporter, with a share of 10% of world exports, totaling US$ 15 billion last year. “With growth projections of 20.5% over the next decade confirmed, Brazil should expand its share of the export market to 15%,” said the minister.
World Cotton Day is the result of a request from Cotton-4 (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali), a group of African cotton-producing countries, to the United Nations to establish World Cotton Day. The objective is to mark a reflection on the importance of cotton as a global commodity. The minister was received by Brazil's ambassador to the WTO, Alexandre Parola.
This weekend, the minister also participated in Anuga, the world's largest food and beverage fair, in Cologne, Germany, which saw the participation of more than 100 Brazilian companies. She also met with Germany's Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöeckner, to talk about the trade relationship between Brazil and Germany and cooperation in the bioeconomy.
Source: agrolink
