Brazil is the third largest cotton producer and achieved the position of the largest cotton exporter in the world in the 2023/24 season 

Representatives from the textile industries of eight countries that import cotton from Brazil will be part of the Buyers Mission, a trade event held the Brazilian Cotton Growers Association (Abrapa). The event takes place between July 26th and August 3rd and brings together 21 executives from Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Savador, Honduras, India, South Korea, Mauritius, the United States, Pakistan and Türkiye. 

This is the eighth edition of the Buyers Mission. The aim is to show the main stages of the Brazilian cotton production cycle – from planting up to the traceability of the final product.  

“With each edition, we have the opportunity to showcase the responsible production model used for Brazilian cotton, which has taken us from the second largest importer in the world to the current position of the largest global exporter of cotton”, said the president of Abrapa, Alexandre Schenkel.  

In 2023, Brazil harvested 3.24 million tonnes of cotton lint, keeping its position as the third largest producer in the world. In the 2023/24 marketing year, Abrapa and the USDA estimate that 2.72 million tonnes of cotton will be exported by the South American country. This volume positions Brazil as the main global exporter. 

From July to August, Brazilian cotton farms are at different stages of harvesting and ginning. At the same time, the cotton is tested and classed before being sold.  

So that the international delegation can get an accurate picture of the diversity of Brazilian cotton farming, Abrapa will take the group to eight Brazilian farming areas. The schedule includes visits to five cotton-producing farms, located in the main growing states (Mato Grosso, Bahia and Goiás).  

On these farms, the delegation will also visit the ginning plants. One of the characteristics of Brazilian cotton farming is that practically 90% of all the cotton gins are located on the farms.  

The schedule also includes visits to farming cooperatives and the network of cotton classing labs.  

The Buyers Mission is part of the activities run by Cotton Brazil, an international promotion program that represents the Brazilian cotton production sector on a global scale. This program is run in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex Brasil) with the support of the National Cotton Shippers Association (Anea).