The world's first largest cotton producer, third in export volume and seventh largest global cotton importer, India is one of the markets on the radar of the Brazilian Cotton Producers Association (Abrapa), in terms of the possibility of expanding cotton's presence. national product. The entity's goal is, within this business year, to double its market share in that country, which currently stands at 6%. As part of the strategy for this, Abrapa held a meeting this Thursday morning (10) with the diplomatic corps in Brazil in New Delhi, together with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Association National Council of Cotton Exporters (Anea).
The meeting was attended by the Brazilian ambassador to India, André Correa do Lago, and the agricultural attaché Dalci Bagolin, among others, and is part of the actions of the Cotton Brazil project, undertaken by Abrapa and the Federal Government (Apex-Brasil /MRE ), with the participation of Anea, which, among several initiatives, includes the first office representing Brazilian cotton in Asia, opened in the city of Singapore.
According to the president of Abrapa, Milton Garbugio, the meeting was the first in a series that is being scheduled with Brazil's diplomatic representatives in key countries for exports of national feather. “We want to show the stages of the Cotton Brazil project and align our actions so that this initiative is successful. We have everything for this, quality, production volume, consistency in supply and bale-by-bale sustainability certification. We need to show this to the world to gain market share,” said Garbugio. The Cotton Brazil project, to promote Brazilian fiber in the Asian market, aims to make the country first in the global export ranking in 2030. Today Brazil occupies second place, preceded by the United States.
For Abrapa's Director of International Relations, Marcelo Duarte, the fact that India is currently an unrepresentative country in Brazilian cotton exports creates great opportunities. “We have some challenges. The first, which is already being overcome, is seasonality. Traditionally, the peak of Indian exports coincides with the peak of Brazil's shipping period. Now, with the harvest here at around three million tons, we are exporting all year round. In other words, we are twelve-month suppliers”, he explained.
Another issue being addressed through the Cotton Brazil project is the perceived quality of Brazilian cotton. “Although, technically, in terms of intrinsic characteristics, there are almost no differences between American and Brazilian cotton, there is a great distortion of image. This can only change with bold promotional work”, stated Duarte.
Beautiful challenge
The space for growth in consumption of national fiber was confirmed by the Brazilian ambassador to India, André Correa do Lago. According to him, despite the large drop in the country's GDP in the last quarter – due to Covid-19 –, in the medium term, the Indian population, the second largest on the planet, will need to buy. “I believe that if India advances as it intends, with cotton as its primary need, and the Indian market increases brutally, without the possibility of increasing production in proportion to this consumption, an extraordinary market space will open up for the Brazil. It will be a great challenge and we have the entire team here at our disposal”, he said.
Dalci Bagolin, agricultural attaché in India, highlighted the country's specificities, which need to be observed in commercial relations, but believes that there are good opportunities. “India is able to supply the domestic market with several crops, but has great difficulty in increasing cotton production. On the other hand, it is highly protectionist and wants to produce clothing self-sufficiently in its territory. There are also a large number of small producers who depend on the crop”, he considered. Both Bagolin and the ambassador referred to low productivity and Indian technical quality in cultivating the commodity.
Among the participants in the meeting were the former president of Abrapa, Arlindo Moura, the president of the Goiana Association of Cotton Producers (Agopa), Carlos Moresco, the president of Anea, Henrique Snitcovski, the agribusiness coordinator of Apex-Brasil, Alberto Carlos Bicca, and the coordinator of Image Promotion and Export Culture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Development, Aurélio Rocha.
Source: agrolink
READ TOO:
{module 441}
{module 442}
