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9:00 |
Summary of the Second Open Session: Promotion of Cotton Use in Product Markets
Chair: Mr. Jeff Silberman, IFCP (USA)
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Cotton’s share of world demand for fibers has been falling steadily over recent decades, as man-made fibers have become increasingly popular. This decline has been greater in some specific market segments, such as so-called “fast fashion” and performance textiles, than others. Many examples exist, both within cotton and in other agricultural commodities, of generic promotion campaigns that have boosted market growth. This session will examine ways in which the use of cotton can be promoted, both at industry and consumer levels, in key countries and market segments, as well as the role governments can play in assisting promotion.
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9:15 |
Summary of the First Breakout Session: Production Practices for the Improvement of Cotton Productivity
Chair: Prof. Ephemia Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) |
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This breakout session will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss the application of programs that can reduce production costs, improve control of most common pests (bollworm, aphid, white fly) and also reduce the environmental impact of cotton cultivation (e.g. exchange of experiences from application of conservation tillage and row spacing systems in different countries).
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10:30 |
Coffee/Tea Break
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11:00 |
Second Breakout Session: International Exchange of Cotton Germplasm
Chair: Prof. Georgios Skaracis, Agricultural University of Athens (Greece) |
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Intensive breeding limited to the existing germplasm within a country has led to a narrow genetic base that restricts the variation within a segregated population. A wide genetic variation always provides opportunities for transgressive features. As a result of the narrow genetic base now available around the world, the process of development of new varieties has slowed. There is currently only minimal international exchange of germplasm among countries, and issues involving intellectual property rights covering genes have further limited the exchange of elite germplasm among countries. Conventional breeding will always be at the forefront of developing improved varieties, while biotech genes will only contribute specific features. The session will seek proposals to enhance the international exchange of cotton germplasm.
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Speakers
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Panelist
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Mr. Thymis Efthymiadis, Greek Seed Trade Association (Greece)
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12:30 |
Lunch
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13:45 |
Summary of the Third Open Session: Contract Sanctity
Chair: Mr. Antonios Siarkos, Hellenic Cotton Association of Ginners and Exporters (Greece) |
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Contract defaults, resulting principally from price volatility, have plagued the cotton business in recent years and opened the door even wider for manmade fibers to increase their share of the market. The response from the cotton trade has been to tighten further the restrictions on defaulters, which in turn creates even greater barriers to normal cotton trading, thereby allowing competing fibers to gain more ground. The lack of contract sanctity extends further up the value chain, as weavers, garment manufactures and retailers also feel free to renege on their commitments. In turn, this forces non-compliance down the chain to spinners and cotton traders, who are bound by international trading rules that do not allow defaults to be passed onwards. This threat to the future of cotton will be addressed in a panel discussion that seeks to understand the difficulties and threats faced by cotton trading today, and how these might be addressed with the support of member countries. The panel will be composed of experts from different segments of the cotton trade, such as producers, traders, representatives of international trade associations, spinners and retailers.
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14:00 |
Third Breakout Session: Climate Change and Cotton
Chair: Prof. Ilias Eleftherohorinos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) |
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This topic has already been the subject of breakout sessions in 2007 (Izmir) and 2013 (Cartagena), but interest remains very high. The breakout session in 2014 will include the presentation of an ICAC review article on “Climate Change and Cotton Production” and build on information presented in earlier by providing more specific metrics for use in defining “extreme” weather, in order to provide more detailed forecasts of impacts on cotton. Water use in cotton and efforts to improve its efficiency will be discussed. Updates will be presented on new developments in the field of improvement of cotton varieties for resistance/tolerance to abiotic stress (e.g. drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, cold tolerance, heat tolerance). The use of molecular tools to evaluate cotton genotypes for resistance/tolerance to abiotic stress will be discussed.
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15:15 |
Coffee/Tea Break
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15:45 |
Summary of the Fourth Open Session: The Outlook for Cotton Supply and Use
Chair: H.E. Mr. Prosper Vokouma, Ambassador Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the United Nations Office
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This Open Session will feature two presentations by the Secretariat. The first will be on the outlook for world cotton supply, mill use, trade, stocks and prices in 2014/15 and expectations for trends through 2024/25. The second will be the annual report on Production and Trade Policies Affecting the Cotton Industry. In addition, a representative of the WTO will be invited to report on developments in the Doha Round of relevance to the cotton sector, including agreements on trade facilitation and transparence achieved during the 9th Ministerial Conference, held in Bali.
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16:00 |
Fourth Breakout Session: National Cotton Brands: Strengthening Awareness of the Attributes of Cotton
Chair: Mr. Vassilis Markou, Hellenic Cotton Association of Ginners and Exporters (Greece) |
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Several countries have programs to enhance export sales of cotton, in the expectation of gaining price premiums through the establishment of a brand or identity for the cotton they produce or expanding sales volumes through promotion to spinners. Greece desires to establish a brand identity for Greek cotton, and numerous other countries wish to follow suit. This open session will provide an opportunity to explore techniques of brand establishment and to hear from countries on their experiences with national demand enhancement programs. A desired outcome of the session is increased understanding among producing countries of the costs involved and likely outcomes of branding strategies, combined with an understanding of which strategies boost sales of cotton as a whole and which strategies are more likely to undermine the cotton sector as a whole. It is hoped that the session will result in more countries engaging in demand enhancement activities and doing so in ways that strengthen consumer preferences for cotton while also building brand identities for cotton of specific origins.
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Speakers
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Panelist
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Ms. Georgia Kostopoulou, Ministry of Rural Development & Food (Greece)
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EVENING |
OPEN |