Cotton
Cotton is a natural fiber harvested from the cotton plant of the genus Gossypium. Cotton is one of the oldest fibers under human cultivation, with traces of cotton over 7,000 years old recovered from archaeological sites. Cotton is also one of the most used natural fibers in existence today, with consumers from all classes and nations wearing and using cotton in a variety of applications.
Cotton, belonging to a family that includes hibiscus and okra, produces a natural vegetable fiber used in the manufacture of cloth. Cotton produces a sweet nectar that attracts a variety of destructive insect pests, including the boll weevil, bollworm, armyworm, and the red spider. In addition to insect pests, there is also a very destructive fungus, called the wilt, that attacks the root system of the cotton plant.
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History
Scientists and historians have found shreds of cloth or written reference to cotton dating back at least seven-thousand years. The oldest discovery was made in a Mexican cave, where scientists unearthed bits and pieces of cotton bolls and cloth. Archaeologists have also found cloth fragments in the Indus Valley of India (Pakistan) dating about 3000 B.C.
Cotton was grown by American Indians in the early 1500's, documented from sightings by the Coronado expedition 1540-42. The Spaniards raised a cotton crop in Florida in 1556.
In England, in the early 1700's, during the height of the British Empire, it was against the law, to either import or manufacture cloth from cotton. These laws were enacted to protect the powerful English sheep and wool industry of that time. These restrictions also kept the cotton industry from expanding to the American Colonies. However, by the early 1600's, cotton had been introduced to North America and in 1607 the first seed was planted by colonists along the James River in Virginia.
With the development of the cotton mill, Eli Whitney saw the need for a faster means of removing the lint (cotton fibers) from the seed. In 1793, he patented a machine known as the cotton gin. This invention revolutionized the way lint was separated from the seed. Up to that time, for centuries, the separation process had all been done by hand. With Whitney's gin, short for the word engine, lint volume was increased for each worker from 1 lb. To 50 lbs. per day.
Cotton is used to make a number of textile products. These include terrycloth for highly absorbent bath towels and robes; denim for blue jeans; chambray, popularly used in the manufacture of blue work shirts (from which we get the term "blue-collar"); and corduroy, seersucker, and cotton twill. Socks, underwear, and most T-shirts are made from cotton. Bed sheets often are made from cotton. Cotton also is used to make yarn used in crochet and knitting. Fabric also can be made from recycled or recovered cotton that otherwise would be thrown away during the spinning, weaving, or cutting process. While many fabrics are made completely of cotton, some materials blend cotton with other fibers, including rayon and synthetic fibers such as polyester. It can either be used in knitted or woven fabrics, as it can be blended with elastine to make a stretchier thread for knitted fabrics, and apparel such as stretch jeans. In addition to the textile industry, cotton is used in fishnets, coffee filters, tents, gunpowder, cotton paper, and in bookbinding.
Cultivation
There are several species of “wild cotton” (cotton that grows uncultivated ) in the world. They have been found in Australia, Africa, Arizona, Central America, Lower California, Brazil, Mexico and other tropical countries and islands. Because of problems related to their refinement, they are not economically feasible to use. Through genetic assistance and breeding, today’s cottons have evolved from these “wild” sources and are more processing friendly.
Currently, there are five prominent types of cotton being grown commercially around the world. They are Egyptian, Sea Island, American Pima, Asiatic and Upland. Because of their need for a long, sunny growing period with at least 160 frost free days they are grown between latitudes 45 degrees north and 30 degrees south. The major producing countries within this region are the United States, Peoples Republic of China, India, Pakistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. Also, Brazil, Australia, Egypt, Argentina, Turkey, Greece, Syria and others
Production
A declining trend of cotton's share in textiles fibres since the 1970s compare to the chemical textiles (branched off oil) was stated- in 1960 the part of cotton was of 68.3% against 21,8% for chemical textiles and at the opposite the percentages were respectively of 39,7% and 57,7% in 2002. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre of the 20th century. In a development context, cotton is crucially important for income and employment provided in its production and processing. Much of the growth of cotton production since the end of the Second World War was due to improved yield (output per hectare more than multiplied by four quadrupled between 1945/46 and 2006/07, from 0.2 tons per hectare (t/ha) to 0.8 tons per hectare, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee - ICAC), rather than to expanded area (cultivated land increased by only 35% over the 1945/46-2006/07 period, expanding from 22.3 million hectares to 34.8 millions). The development of the cultivated area mainly occured at the end of the 1940s and remained relatively unchanged since then.
In 2007, cotton was grown in 90 countries. In 2006/07, the four main producing countries were China, India, the USA and Pakistan and accounted for approximately three quarters of world output. If we added Uzbekistan and Brasil, six countries would account for 83% of world cotton production. This concentration in cotton production, which appears to increase for several years, has to be put into perspective by considering the impact of domestic policy reforms in the largest cotton producing countries, as well as climatic and sanitary contingencies. For example, global output increased by 30% between the seasons 1983/84 and 1984/85, rising to 19.2 million tonnes up from 14.5 million tonnes. Most of the growth came from China, where increases in production (Chinese production edged upward from 4.6 million tonnes in 1983/84 to 6.3 million tonnes in the 1984/85 season) were prompted by incentive measures taken by the Government. To stimulate production growth, the Government used price incentives (price adjustment increased from 15% to 50% according to the main commodities) and above-quota premiums in cotton procurement (in China farmers were assigned quotas for delivering cotton at administered prices). Additional policy measures were taken to stimulate cotton production in the 1993/4 season, including loans at preferential rates and advance payments to cotton producers before planting. The combined effect of these policy reforms was quite remarkable. Cotton production increased by 3.7 million tonnes in the 1992/93 season to 4.34 million tonnes in 1993/94 (a 16.1% increase). The increase in production remained around the trend in the 1995/96 season, as the Government announced that it would increase cotton procurement price by 25%.
Consumption
Since the beginning of the 1940s, world cotton consumption has increased at an average annual growth rate of about 2% (roughly the same as production). Growth in the demand for cotton was comparatively higher in the 1950s and 1980s, with an average growth rate of 4,6% a year during the 1950s and 3% in the 1980s. Developing countries have absorbed much of global cotton output since the end of WWII. Their share in global consumption has become even more significant since the beginning of 2000s. Developing countries accounted for approximately 78% of global cotton consumption between 1981and 1999; since 2000 their ratio has been above 80%; according to projections based on ICAC figures, in 2010 they would absorb almost 94% of global cotton output.
Cotton consumption has shifted to developing countries mainly as a reflection of rising wage levels in developed countries. In the textile sector, labour accounts for about 1/6 of production costs. This means that raising labour costs eroded the competitive edge of developed countries, and contributed to the shifting of cotton processing to low-cost economies (most notably Asia and the Maghreb, but also Africa). Following specialisation, certain countries were able to forge new patterns of comparative advantages out of competitive differences in quality. These countries built on the competitiveness and dynamism of the textile sector, which became the foundation stone of their development. Other exogenous factors (such as the development of new technologies and improved infrastructures) favoured delocalisation of production by multinational companies based in developed countries.
The main cotton producing economies also account for a large part of consumption. According to ICAC data, China, the United States, India, and Pakistan as a whole have accounted for approximately more than 55% of global cotton consumption over the period 1980 to 2008. Their overall consumption has risen considerably in volume (see figure below). For example, consumption multiplied by 3 in China and by more than 3 in India. Pakistan has had the largest increase in volume (which multiplied by 6 between 1980 and 2008) in order to responde to export-driven demand for textiles.
Environmental concern
Cotton also carries environmental controversy, particularly in the developing world, where dangerous pesticides are heavily employed. Cotton is subject to infestation, and therefore many growers heavily douse the plant in pesticides that are harmful to human and animal health, as well as herbicides to eliminate competition for resources. A number of producers also genetically modify the plant, which many outside the industry view as a questionable practice. Cotton also has very large water requirements, which may place stress on nations with limited water resources. In the late 20th century, there was a push for organic, sustainable cotton grown and harvested without the use of pesticides and human exploitation. This cotton is significantly more expensive than conventionally farmed cotton, however, and may not be practical for most consumers.
Statistical Graphs
 A graph showing the cotton production among countries. |
 A graph showing a steady increase in cotton consumption. |
