Cotton production in North West can be extremely lucrative, according to Arno Janse van Vuuren, manager of agricultural management at agribusiness NWK. A comprehensive survey by the company shows that the province is well suited to cotton cultivation if production is managed effectively.
Cotton has been used as a fibre for more than 7 000 years. Unlike fossil-based fibres, it is sustainable, renewable, biodegradable and carbon neutral.
“It can be used without depleting or damaging the environment, making it an excellent choice as an environmentally friendly fibre throughout its entire product life cycle,” says Arno Janse van Vuuren, agribusiness NWK’s manager of agricultural management.
NWK recently conducted a survey to determine the potential for cotton production and expansion in the company’s service area, which includes Lichtenburg and Mahikeng in North West. The main production regions in the province include Stella, Delareyville and SchweizerReneke, which together produced 17 832 lint bales (200kg each) of the provincial crop of 23 299 bales in the past season. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is a tropical crop and as such prefers summer temperatures of 25°C or higher, and soil temperatures that stay above 18°C during germination. As most of the world’s cotton is produced outside of the tropics, cotton-growing areas have to be warm enough to ensure a good crop. Cotton is generally not produced in areas higher than 1 400m above sea level.
The plant is hardy and resilient to drought.
COTTON IN FIGURES
According to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), global production of the crop in the 2017/2018 season was 26,9 million tons, a 16% increase on the previous season. The major producers, which together were responsible for 90% of global cotton output, were India, China, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
Global demand increased 8% to 26,9 million tons in the 2017/2018 season. The committee has forecast a 4% fall in production to 26 million tons in the 2018/2019 season. Production is expected to decline 2% in India, the world’s largest producer, due to pink bollworm infestation.
Esta historia es de la edición November 16, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 16, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
