Series of webinars seeks to strengthen relationships with countries that buy cotton. Bangladesh is currently the second largest importer of Brazilian lint. 

 

The latest round of the 1st Cotton Brazil Outlook, a global event promoted by the Cotton Brazil initiative, took place on February 4th. Abrapa (Brazilian Cotton Growers Association), in partnership with Anea (Brazilian Cotton Shippers Association) and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) led the initiative. This time, Brazilian cotton players met virtually with businesspeople and officials from Bangladesh’s textile industry. Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Tereza Cristina, also participated in the event. 

Starting in December 2020, virtual meetings have been held with businesspeople from China, India, Vietnam, South Korea, and Turkey, and there are plans for similar exchanges with Pakistan, Indonesia, and Thailand. The events connect authorities and specialists from Brazil with local textile leaders who receive valuable information about Brazilian cotton, including its intrinsic characteristics and data about the latest crop. 

Minister stresses the need for cooperation between countries 

On the momentum experienced by the cotton sector for the last 20 years, Tereza Cristina stated that in the post-Covid era the goal will be to further increase Brazil’s international footprint, since the country currently accounts for 20% of world exports. 

“Our exports have grown around 18% per year since 2015. We expect to continue producing enough to safely honor our current contracts and seize new opportunities abroad. We will also focus on spreading the news about our sustainability standards, given that Brazil is a world leader in the social and environmental certification of cotton: more than 80% of our production has been certified in the last seasons”, she said. 

Still according to the minister, Asia warrants special attention for being an important customer of Brazilian cotton. “We will continue to seek partners synergistically to increase the sector’s productivity both in Brazil and Bangladesh. We still have a lot to collaborate”. 

Cotton fosters friendly relations between countries 

For Brazil’s ambassador in Dhaka, João Tabajara, this is a unique opportunity for two markets that are equally essential for their respective countries. “Since the reopening of this embassy in 2010, this is the most important commercial initiative between Brazil and Bangladesh”. 

Also present at the event was adviser Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, representing Bangladesh’s Embassy in Brazil, who said he was happy that the two associations were thinking of each other’s strengths. 

“Bangladesh is one of the largest cotton importers in the world, totaling about 5.4 billion dollars in imports the last year. And Brazil is our main supplier, with businesses growing considerably in the last 6 or 7 years”. 

Muhammed Ayub, former president and spokesman for the Bangladesh Cotton Association (BCA), a partner in the event, also gave a presentation on the current market scenario and competitiveness status with other countries, such as China, stressing the importance of the diplomatic relationship. “We believe it is possible to further strengthen the partnership between Brazil and Bangladesh, not only in the cotton sector, but also as friendly countries”. 

The webinar also featured presentations by Júlio Cézar Busato, President of Abrapa; Edson Mizoguchi, Abrapa’s Quality Manager; Carlos Moresco, Brazilian cotton grower; Henrique Snitcovski, President of Anea; and Marcelo Duarte, Director of International Relations at Abrapa. 

At the end of the meeting, participants were able to ask questions, which were answered by players in the Brazilian market. On the occasion, the president of Abrapa, Júlio Cézar Busato, elaborated on the importance of ABR for the sustainability of cotton production in Brazil. “Brazilian growers, according to the Forest Code which is part of the ABR, preserve 35% of their farmland for forests and rivers in the Cerrado region. If the farm is located in the Amazon, that area rises to 80%”, he said. 

The Cotton Brazil Outlook – Bangladesh was held by Abrapa in partnership with Anea and Apex-Brasil, with support from the Brazilian Embassy in Dhaka and the Bangladesh Cotton Association. 

About Cotton Brazil 

The Cotton Brazil initiative was launched at the end of 2020 to promote Brazilian cotton in the global market, and is the result of 20 years of constant innovation, research, and investments in industry improvements.  

Led by Abrapa (Brazilian Cotton Growers Association) in partnership with Anea (Brazilian Cotton Shippers Association) and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), Cotton Brazil encompasses actions including a physical presence in Asia with the opening of an office in Singapore; a larger digital presence through a website in nine languages ​​and social media  efforts; relationship marketing programs; events; market intelligence; buyers and sellers missions; strategic research and partnerships. 

To learn more, visit: www.cottonbrazil.com