With each edition of the “Buyers Mission”, a commercial exchange in which the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa) receives cotton importers in Brazil, generalism regarding Brazilian cotton farming is replaced by a more realistic view of everyday life in the field. In its eighth edition, the initiative brings together 21 representatives from the global textile industry and, in the first stage, the highlight was professionalism in farm management and good environmental practices.
This year, the delegation welcomed by Abrapa brings executives from eight countries: Bangladesh, China, South Korea, the United States, Honduras, India, Pakistan and Turkey. Cultures, languages and realities very different from those of Brazil – which makes “opening the gate” of farms to importers even more useful.
“Of the 21 representatives from the global textile industries who are with us, 19 are visiting our country for the first time. It is a beautiful opportunity to show in practice our commitment to people, the environment and quality”, pondered Alexandre Schenkel, president of Abrapa.
For Bangladesh's Faizah Mahmoot, the opportunity had a double effect. The visit to the Bom Futuro farm, in Campo Verde (MT), on Tuesday (30) was the first time on a cotton farm. “We know everything from harvesting to processing. We saw how they classify cotton and the social and environmental programs that the group has. It was a great experience,” she commented.
At Bom Futuro, emphasis on the verticalization of production. In addition to the cotton gin, the property has a biofactory for biological pesticides and a crushing industry – which produces cotton oil. Still in Campo Verde, the delegation met Cooperfibra, a cooperative that is a spinning mill and also has a cotton classification laboratory. There, one of the attractions was seeing the different types of threads that can be made from Brazilian cotton.
On Monday (29), the delegation visited the Boa Esperança farm, in Lucas do Rio Verde (MT). “It is a property with a very strong concern for the well-being of its employees, in addition to having good environmental practices. Here, many areas with fruit trees, palm trees and other species were reforested to expand the preserved area beyond what is required by law”, explained Schenkel.
With 33 thousand hectares destined for cotton planting in the 2023/24 harvest, Boa Esperança produces in rainfed areas, without irrigation – as well as 92% of national production. Another difference is the extensive use of composting (organic waste that contributes to soil nutrition), reducing the need for mineral fertilizers. Furthermore, 100% of the management is done with biological control associated with chemicals.
During the visit, it was harvest day, an activity that Raza Ellahi, from Türkiye, followed closely. “What caught our attention the most was the efficiency in harvesting, with state-of-the-art machines and trained people. I spoke with the farm managers to understand how they divide the plots, choose the varieties and organize the harvesting machines,” she said.
Chinese Sarah Hong highlighted the level of professionalism found. “I was impressed by how well-structured the harvesting operation is. The separation of cotton lots is done from the beginning of activities. This is very important because we, buyers, need uniform batches to get the most out of the spinning mill's production capacity,” explained Hong.
All the feather produced at the Boa Esperança farm is destined for export and production traceability covers all production stages – from planting the seed to the arrival of the bales in the container that will be sent to the ports.
On Sunday (28), a workshop on Brazilian cotton farming was held. The event was opened by the president of Abrapa, Alexandre Schenkel, and was attended by the producer and former Minister of Agriculture, Blairo Maggi. “Here, in Mato Grosso, we cultivate responsibly and efficiently. And we have the potential to expand production: there just needs to be demand”, stated the president of the Mato Grosso Association of Cotton Producers (Ampa), Eraí Maggi.
Abrapa's Director of International Relations, Marcelo Duarte, presented an overview of the main assets of Brazilian cotton (quality, traceability and sustainability). Fernando Rati, manager of Cotton Brazil, showed updated data on cotton production in Mato Grosso and the director of the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), Ariel Coelho, outlined a diagnosis of the national and international fiber market.
In the 2023/24 harvest, Brazil is expected to produce around 3,7 million tons of feather, with exports estimated at around 2,6 million tons.
In the coming days, the “Buyers Mission” will pass through the Bahian municipalities of São Desidério and Luís Eduardo Magalhães, through Cristalina, in Goiás, to Abrapa's headquarters, in Brasília (DF). Technical visits are scheduled to the Fiber Analysis Center of the Bahian Association of Cotton Producers (Abapa) and the Brazilian Reference Center for Cotton Analysis (CBRA), a structure coordinated by Abrapa.
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