Make Cotton Sustainable

NEWS REPORT / NIKKEI

Itochu To Support Farmers' Transition to
Organic Cotton in India

Japanese trading house Itochu Corporation will seek to boost the output of organically grown cotton in India by providing financial aid to small farmers who give up the use of chemicals, reports Nikkei.

Accreditation for organic cotton production requires at least three years of chemical-free cultivation, with small producers facing dwindling income for that period. As a result, the trading house will pay a premium of 20-30% over regular cotton during the course of the transition.

Cotton grown during the changeover will be branded pre-organic. Last year, Itochu bought 400 tons of pre-organic cotton from some 900 farmers in northern India, and plans to buy 500 tons from 1,100 producers this year. With around 4,000 farmers wanting to make the switch to organic, Itochu plans to procure 1,000 tons from 2,000 producers in 2012.

Purchased pre-organic cotton will be shipped to Japan and elsewhere in raw cotton or thread form to be made into T-shirts, jeans and other products. Focusing on their eco-friendliness, the items will be marketed as high-value-added apparel to differentiate them from lower-priced offerings.

Source News Report: Itochu Promoting Organic Cotton Production In India
Photo Courtesy Itochu Corporation website