Cotton Australia will further develop market access strategies for the nation’s cotton industry thanks to a significant grant from the Australian government.
The $1,515,700 grant was awarded to Cotton Australia and the Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) by the Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC).
Australia’s Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, David Littleproud, said the funding would continue to develop important growth markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as drive further demand with customers.
“We want to make Australian cotton a fibre of choice for global textile manufacturers, brands and retailers,” Mr Littleproud said.
“For the first time the project will see the industry host a visit of key supply chain customers to Australia and see our world-class cotton industry for themselves.
“Like all we produce in this great country, Aussie cotton is among the best in the world. We will continue to drive demand for our cotton with brands and retailers and position the industry in new and emerging markets, which is good news for Australian cotton growers.”
Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said that market diversification would continue to be crucial for the industry.
“We’re forecasting a large crop of 4.8 million bales in 2022, compared to an average of 3 million bales produced each year during the period from 2014-19,” Mr Kay said.
“This grant will help increase demand for the sustainable high-quality cotton we produce, avoid the need to stockpile and establish a clear roadmap for our future marketing efforts.”
ACSA Chairman Roger Tomkins acknowledged the importance of the grant in ensuring Australian cotton can match the promotional activities of its competitors, particularly the USA and Brazil.
The $1.5 million ATMAC grant builds on phase one, a $757,196 grant, that developed and implemented an export market diversification strategy and increased the profile of Australian cotton with brand and retail customers.
The work will be jointly delivered by Cotton Australia and ACSA, with support from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC). The project supports the marketing of Australian cotton by the members of ACSA, with demand being generated by Cotton Australia.
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