Cotton Brazil

about Cotton Brazil

Cotton Brazil represents the Brazilian cotton industry, focusing on the quality, sustainability, and traceability. We advocate for the entire national production chain and promote the use of cotton, due to their sustainable, biodegradable, and comfortable nature, benefiting both consumers and the environment. This commitment is captured in our slogan: “Growing for a Better Future.”

Cotton Brazil is led by ABRAPA (Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers) with the support of two key organizations: ANEA (National Association of Cotton Exporters) and APEX Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency).

Cotton Brazil is responsible for

99%

of Brazil’s planted area

99%

of Brazil’s cotton production

100%

of Brazilian cotton exports

data on Brazilian cotton for the 2022/23 crop

	4th largest producer In recent years Brazil has ranked in the top 5 world producers, alongside China, India, USA, and Pakistan.
	2nd largest exporter In a few years Brazil moved from being a cotton importer to its current exporter position.
	3 million tons production estimate 1st cotton yields in drylands Highest cotton yields average in the world without irrigation, at 1,800kg/hectare Currently, 92% of Brazilian cotton is in dryland areas
	4th largest producer In recent years Brazil has ranked in the top 5 world producers, alongside China, India, USA, and Pakistan. 343 ABR & BCI Certified farms >250 ginning plants Traceability bale by bale 11 HVI laboratories participating in the ABRAPA program More than 12 million HVI tests applied

partners

Brazilian organizations that support Cotton Brazil

the history

Brazilian cotton has a curious history of resilience and innovation. According to historical reports, local indigenous people used cotton fibers to produce yarns and rustic fabrics. But in 1750 the country discovered the commercial potential of its agricultural production and cotton became a sort of white gold for the domestic economy.

an ancestral fiber 1500

Brazilian indigenous peoples knew and transformed cotton into threads and rustic fabrics even before the arrival of the Portuguese.

the era of "white gold" 1750

Lint production reached commercial levels and emerged as a promising economic activity for Colonial Brazil.

one of the largest cotton growers and exporters 1980

Brazil had remained relevant in the global cotton market. At the time the country’s Northeast region stood out, leading production.

the cotton bollweevil mid1980s

This small insect brought in from abroad devastated cotton fields, especially in the Northeast, destroying entire growing areas.

huge losses early1990s

In addition to the pest, changes in economic policies contributed to the reduction of more than 60% of the cotton acreage. 800,000 people were unemployed by 1995.

overcoming the challenges late1990s

Cotton farming was restored in Brazil through technology advances, and the crop migrated to the Brazilian Midwest, where the plant adapted to the soil and climate.

the Brazilian Cotton Growers Association (Abrapa) is founded 1999

The organization helped spread new farming techniques and good practices. The creation of Abrapa marks a new phase of prosperity and development for cotton.

creation of the Responsible Brazilian Cotton (ABR) socio-environmental certification 2012

Based on regional sustainability practices, a national protocol was established in 2012 for the socio-environmental certification of Brazilian cotton, the ABR..

today cotton is produced across various regions of the country

the biggest producing state are Mato Grosso & Bahia, which grows more than 90% of our fiber

cotton br

news

Stay up to date with all the news about Brazilian cotton.