APTMA focus expanding BCI cotton to boost textile exports

Pakistan with around 163000 metric tonnes of cotton grown and processed with Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is Textile industry is currently the leading producer of BCI cotton and is planning to further, undertake an initiative to broad-base the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) cotton production. In order to make the initiative sustainable and expand it to maximum areas of cotton production is preparing a proposal to the Ministry of textile Industry for funding the project from the Export Development Fund (EDF). The sustainability-led initiative will help boost textile exports across the textile value chain from farm to fashion to foreign trade. This BCI cotton initiative was introduced by WWF Pakistan and funded by EU, Switch Asia and IKEA. The BCI aims to promote measurable improvements in the key environmental and social impacts of cotton cultivation worldwide and the APTMA is among the founder members of the BCI Steering Committee since last four years. The BCI cotton farmers have reduced water use by 20%, pesticide by 50% and fertilizer application by 33% after BCI. Similarly, the farmers have also increased their overall net revenue by 35%. Acting Chairman APTMA Punjab Syed Ali Ahsan said that the traceability of textile products with the use of Better Cotton is fast becoming mandatory and the number of BCI-based producers, traders and merchants is on the rise. He is looking forward to the government’s support for an earliest expansion of BCI cotton production in Pakistan. Leading international brands including H&M, Mark & Spencer, Levi’s, IKEA and Walmart are sourcing BCI cotton textile products and are focusing on increase it every year.