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The cotton production practices report includes information on all aspects of production practices from pre-sowing operations to harvesting and ginning of cotton. The last report was published in September 2005 and has data from 36 countries. The complete report can be ordered for a cost of US$150.00.
To order, contact publications@icac.org or go to the on-line ordering page.
Introduction
As in the past, major changes have occurred in the varieties grown in most countries. Many varieties are grown in countries that give growers a choice. Syria is the only country where one variety is grown in each region. The major variety grown in Iran was developed almost 35 years ago and is probably the oldest variety grown on a commercial scale in any country. Cotton growers should be able to choose their choice but it is also recommended that only one variety be grown per farm. In some countries varieties are approved for certain zones, but such recommendations are rarely observed.
The ten countries that have commercialized biotech cotton are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China (Mainland), Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and the USA. Biotech cotton has the potential to reduce insecticide use on cotton and the number of sprays in most countries have gone down or at least not increased in any country. Growers are shifting to non-chemical control measures, and yields achieved by most countries in 2004/05 show no negative impact of reduced insecticide use.
Cotton is truly a small farmers’ crop. Australia and USA have the largest average farm size among all countries that participated in the survey. Farm size data from the USA is the national average for all crops but it is assumed that farms are smaller in size in the cotton growing areas. China (Mainland) has the smallest acreage unit of the cotton farming system in the world where on the average the farm size is 0.3 hectare in the Yangtze River Valley and the Yellow River Valley. Cotton is planted on one-third of land, and the two regions together grow more than half of the total cotton area in the country.
Nitrogen use is the highest in China (Mainland) followed by Syria and parts of Turkey. Micronutrients particularly in the form of Boron and Sulfur are applied only in a few countries. There is great variation in the economic threshold to initiate spraying for controlling insects. Herbicide use seems to be on the increase, but growth regulators are used on a limited scale. Machine picking is on the increase in Turkey, and most cotton in the world is saw ginned.
M. Rafiq Chaudhry
Head
Technical Information Section
To order, contact publications@icac.org or go to the on-line ordering page.
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