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Australian farmers establish world record of cotton yield

Australia is understood to have established last year a world record of producing 1731 kg of link cotton per hectare, though its overall production for the season is said to have been lower by nearly 14 per cent at around 700,000 tonnes indicating a decline of about 113,000 tonnes from the earlier season’s record level. The range of the fibre quality was said to be comparable with the excellent results obtained in the earlier season.

If the crop last season was lower, it was due to the decline in acreage to 404,350 hectares from 505,000 hectares a year ago. In Queensland the area was around 102,800 hectares of irrigated land and 17,200 hectares of rainfed land. The overall decline in area under cotton was attributed to the lower cotton prices that prevailed in the earlier season. It might be interesting to note that about 97 per cent of Australia’s cotton production comes from irrigated land mainly in New South Wales and Queensland and the remaining from the rainfed land in Queensland.

In view of the fal in the area, a substantially lower production was estimated earlier but record yield changed those predictions. As the crop grew, it had the advantage of a very favourable weather. There was a further sharp reduction in the area under cotton in the 2000-03 season to just 256,000 hectares. This nearly 37 per cent cut in the area, was said to be due to reduced availability of irrigated water. A further fall in lint production in 2002-03 was, therefore considered inevitable.

Another speciality of cotton cultivation in Australia is that there is no government price support, or any other form of assistance specific to cotton cultivation, ginning or marketing, other than in the form of a contribution to research and development. This makes Australia growers mong the most efficient cotton producers in the world. There is active competition among ginners for seed-cotton and amongst merchants for raw-cotton, providing growers with a choice of ginning and or selling arrangements.

Official sources further point out that marketing of Australian cotton is undertaken by a range of organisations, including growers’ cooperatives, private companies and the subsidiaries of international companies. There is no government involvement, either in domestic marketing or in export sales. A non statutory body, the Raw Cotton Marketing Advisory Committee, acting as a sub-committee to the Australian Cotton Industry Council, facilities the exchange of information between the government and various sectors of the industry on cotton marketing.

The Australian cotton industry lays great emphasis on research and develop through its Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) which is a partnership between the cotton industry and the Australian Government. It is funded by the cotton industry by a levy of 2.25 per bale of 227 kg. The government matches this contribution, on a dollar to dollar basis, up to a maximum of 0.5 per cent of the gross value of production. The CRDC is a core partner in the Australian Cotton Research Institute. CRDC funded research is being carried out in every cotton growing state and territory in Australia. In 2001-02, CRDC invested around 14.5 million directly into funded research project, an increase of around 5 per cent over the previous year. Nearly 50 per cent of its budget was directed towards improving the sustainability of the cotton industry through continuous improvement in resources and environmental management. A further 36 per cent was aimed at lifting the profitability and international competitiveness of Australia cotton, while around 14 per cent contributed to improving and assisting the people and the communities involved in the cotton industry.

Australia undertake a unique activity of promoting cotton, through its Cotton Australia which represents its 1200 cotton cultivators. It is funded by a voluntary levy of Aus $ 2 per bale. Cotton Australia represents and promotes the interests of the cotton industry through interaction with government and non-government organisations, the media and the community. Cotton Australia set up in 1999 its Cotton Store at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. It continues successfully as a retail and education concept store, supported by the country’s cotton growers. It retails a wide range of cotton products, while the Cotton Discovery Centre acts to assist the public to understand more about cotton farming, the benefits of cotton and cotton science as well as design. Through its education programme, Cotton Australia reaches over 12,000 students every year. Cotton Australia has also supported the establishment of Australia Cotton Centre in Narrabri (New Southwales). Australia sells nearly 95 per cent of its cotton production in the export markets since its own domestic requirements is extremely limited. Until its own textile industry expands, its heavy dependence on export markets is expected to continue.

- M D Dewani