Cotton Outlook

Special Feature

August 2007

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 1
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 2
August 2007 3

Page design and layout by Richard Butler, Cotlook Limited.

Published by : Cotlook Limited, Outlook House, 458 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead,

Merseyside, CH42 2AE, U.K.

Tel : 44 (151) 644 6400 Fax : 44 (151) 644 8550 E-Mail : editor@cotlook.com World Wide Web : www.cotlook.com

The publisher accepts no responsibility for views expressed by contributors. No article may be reproduced without the prior

permission of the Editor.

The Long Staple Market 4 - 8

By Mike Edwards, Cotlook Ltd.

Egyptian Statistical Review 10 - 11

By Cotlook’s editorial staff

US Pima: “demand will dictate

ultimate supply” 12 - 15

Interview with Matt Laughlin, Marketing

Manager of J. G. Boswell Company

High-Capacity Roller Ginning -

Research to Reality 16 - 18

By Ross Rutherford, Product General

Manager, Lummus Corporation, Lubbock,

Texas

Supima Partners with SGS to

Build its Brand and Strengthen its 20 - 23

Licensing Program

By Buxton Midyette, VP Marketing &

Promotion, Supima and Graham Fogg,

Agricultural Services, SGS North America

Inc.

The Outlook for China’s Long

Staple Cotton Market in 2007/08 24 - 26

Liang Wenying, Chairwoman, China

Nongken Import & Export Co., Ltd.

Sudan’s Efforts to Improve Cotton

Quality 28

By Abdelrahman H. Latif, Sudan Cotton

Company Limited

Long Staples in Central Asia 30 - 32

By Galina Fisher, CIS Editor, Cotlook Ltd.

Extra Long Staple Cotton in Israel 34 - 35

By Menahem Yogev, Classing Institute

Director, Israel Cotton Board

Australian Pima: “jury still out...” 36 - 39

By David Dowling, Editor, Australian Cotton

Grower

A

ALCOTAN 15

Alexandria Commercial Company 23

B

Bajaj Steel 35

C

Calcot Outside Rear Cover

D

Dunavant Enterprises, Inc. Inside Front Cover

Dunavant Enterprises, Inc. Inside Rear Cover

E

Eastern Cotton Company 26

Egycot 23

Excellence Trading S.A. 38

F

Fliplock 8

H

Hazera Genetics Limited 33

J

J.G. Boswell Company 13

K

Kotak and Co 27

L

Lummus Corporation 17

M

Modern Nile Cotton Company 37

O

Olam International Limited 31

P

Paul Reinhart A.G. 9

Plexus Cotton Limited 25

Port Said Cotton Export Company 36

PATCO 14

Q

Queensland Cotton 38

R

Royal Inspection 11

S

SGS 21

Sudan Cotton Company 29

Supima 19

T

Trustco 32

W

White Gold Association Inc. 6

Contents Advertisers

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 3
4 The Long Staple Market

The Long Staple Market

By Mike Edwards, Cotlook Ltd.

During 2006/07, the world long staple

market showed considerably less

volatility than during previous seasons.

Cotlook’s benchmark US Pima quotation

declined progressively during most of the

period, from its initial level of 125.00 cents

per lb (C/F Far East) to a low point in

March of 110.00.

Since then, the price has recovered

modestly and remained stable at around

113.00/114.00 cents per lb. The 15-cent

trading range established this season

appears relatively narrow in comparison

to the doubtless exceptional 2005/06

season, when prices shared the same low

point of 110.00 cents but reached a peak of

no less than 145.00 cents per lb. Relative to prevailing upland values, as measured

by the Cotlook A Index, the long staple market began

the season at a fairly strong premium, by recent,

historical comparison. However, that margin has

subsequently been eroded substantially,

first by the decline of long staple values

themselves and, more recently, by the

impressive, late-season advance of the

upland market. At the time of writing, the

long staple premium (at around 62 percent)

is as narrow as at any time since the 2002/03

season.

Having declined significantly in 2005/

06, global production of barbadense cottons

recovered strongly in the 2006/07 season,

which according to our latest estimates

should have produced a crop modestly in

US Pima as a percentage of A Index

120%

160%

200%

240%

280%

1-Aug-01 19-Dec-02 2-Jul-04 18-Nov-05 11-Apr-07

06/07

01/02

02/03

03/04

04/05

05/06

US Pima Quotation (C/F Far East) - 2006/07season

100.00

105.00

110.00

115.00

120.00

125.00

130.00

Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07

US cents per lb

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 4
August 2007 5

excess of 700,000 tonnes. On present

indications, a crop of similar, or slightly

larger proportions should be achieved in

2007/08. Current world production is thus

at the upper end of output over the past 10

seasons, which ranges from 514,000 tonnes

in 1998/99, to 777,000 in 2001/02.

The two main suppliers to the world

market, Egypt and the United States,

display contrasting trends. A record Pima

crop was achieved in the latter country in

2006/07, and current forecasts suggest a

crop of similar size in 2007/08. As Matt

Laughlin suggests elsewhere in this

publication, the new season’s US Pima

crop has recovered well from weatherrelated setbacks earlier in the year.

With export sales commitments by

mid-July close to 685,000 running bales

(of which about 90 percent had by then

been shipped), the 2006/07 US Pima

crop is well sold. 

As can be seen in the accompanying

chart (which represents the position in

early July), sales of US Pima to most of

the major export markets, having

dipped in 2005/06, recovered during

2006/07. The principal exception to

that pattern is China. Demand from

2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

United States 84,717 152,943 147,683 94,122 162,335 137,275 167,000 165,000

Egypt 210,072 316,618 289,765 197,568 295,153 201,170 212,946 225,000

of which:

ELS 30,973 51,262 65,812 58,386 77,555 43,534 53,864 38,500

LS 176,751 261,909 220,535 138,562 214,077 157,635 159,064 186,500

Sudan 21,000 30,000 54,000 48,000 50,000 44,000 21,400 35,000

Uzbekistan 11,200 17,000 16,500 17,000 14,000 10,000 12,000 6,000

Tajikistan 10,000 18,000 33,000 17,000 13,500 8,000 10,000 6,000

Turkmenistan 20,000 30,000 24,000 27,300 22,900 12,000 25,000 20,000

India* 85,000 80,000 60,000 70,000 69,700 51,850 68,850 75,000

Peru 12,537 6,000 3,600 4,048 8,000 9,211 7,000 6,000

China 61,600 97,100 70,000 113,500 86,500 80,000 170,000 180,000

Israel 8,000 19,000 16,500 7,300 14,000 11,500 18,500 19,000

Australia 3,300 7,945 1,362 114 392 300 300 300

Others 4,000 3,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 3,000 3,000 3,000

TOTAL 531,426 777,606 720,410 599,952 740,480 568,306 715,996 740,300

* includes cotton with staple of over 33mm

World Extra Long and Long Staple Output

tonnes

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

World Long Staple Output (tonnes)

Major Pima Markets

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

China Pakistan India Indonesia Japan Taiwan

tonnes

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 5
6 The Long Staple Market

that country was exceptionally strong in 2005/06, but fell

back in the season just ended, a development no doubt

related to the strong advance of domestic output, of which

more below. China was nonetheless the single largest

destination for US Pima in 2006/07.

In contrast, the 2006/07 season will have seen a

rebuilding of stocks in Egypt, to which slower exports and

substantial imports have

contributed, as well as a modest

recovery in production. The

uncommitted supply most readily

available for prompt shipment thus

resides in that country. However, it is

noteworthy that a large portion of

that carryover consists of the long

staple Giza 86 variety, which also

represents a larger proportion of new

crop plantings.

Unexpectedly, however, one other

potential source of supply is China.

Perhaps the most striking feature of

our world production table is the

sharp increase in long staple

production in China, the background to which is

explained in the article by Ms. Liang Wenying.

The sudden rise in output has not been without

difficulties on the marketing front. Chinese domestic long

staple prices during the second half of the 2006/07 season

declined progressively, in contrast to the strengthening of

upland values (as measured by the China Cotton Index).

Chinese long staple versus upland prices

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

24,000

30-Jan

13-Feb

27-Feb

13-Mar

27-Mar

10-Apr

24-Apr

8-May

22-May

5-Jun

19-Jun

3-Jul

yuan per tonne

CC Index

Type 137

* Source: Beijing Cotton Outlook

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 6
August 2007 7

At the time of writing, some

tentative export offers of Chinese

Type 146 are again discernible on the

international market, though no

business has yet been confirmed, and

the potential for sales remains rather

unclear – at least at the levels

currently quoted. Chinese long

staples have of course been absent

from the world market for some

considerable time, and the task of

persuading spinners to accommodate

the growth in their blends may thus

be a challenging one. 

An unexpectedly brisk spate of

purchasing in late June and early July

saw this season’s modest Sudan

Barakat crop taken up from origin

virtually in its entirety.

Notwithstanding these various

developments on the supply side, the

international long staple market at

present appears largely devoid of

momentum. By all accounts, fine

count spinners are covering their

requirements in hand-to-mouth –

and price-conscious - fashion.

Moreover, an assessment of the

scale of those needs remains as

difficult as ever to determine with

any degree of accuracy. Writing in our 2005 Long Staple

Special Feature, Mr. Edy Hegetschweiler, a merchant wellversed in the trading of long staple cottons, lamented that

“very basic information is not available... there exists no

detailed and reliable information on the geographical

distribution of ELS consumption”.

That lack of transparency has no

doubt been compounded by the fact

that the past few years have seen major

changes in the pattern of international

trade in textiles, which have inevitably

had an impact on the distribution of

fine count yarn production around the

world. While the contraction of long

staple consumption can be tracked

with relative ease in markets such as

Italy and Japan, by simple reference to

import data, a precise estimate of the

situation in the large and growing

markets of the Indian sub-continent

and China is more problematical.

In an attempt to meet that

challenge, we publish here, for the first

time, our best estimates of world raw

cotton consumption of barbadense

cottons. We recognise that this initial

endeavour is likely to contain errors

and omissions. Needless to say, any

corrections or comments that might

contribute to the statistical debate will

be received with thanks.

Our initial estimate of world

consumption implies a more than

comfortable global supply position in

2006/07, which may persist in the

season ahead, with an apparent, global

surplus in excess of 150,000 tonnes.

This is not inconsistent with the decline of prices during

the season, and the relative lack of price volatility

mentioned above. According to our figures, India,

Pakistan and China represent 70 percent of world

consumption. 

Even if one could be confident about the distribution

of fine count spinners, a further source of uncertainty

arises from the degree of price-related ‘elasticity’ that

characterises long staple consumption. 

This indeterminate factor complicates any attempt to

assess demand in this sector of the market. The rather dull

trading conditions alluded to have led some observers to

wonder whether the overall market may indeed have

shrunk, at least for as long as the premium over upland

styles appeared prohibitive to prospective buyers. It

remains to be seen whether the sharp rise of the upland

market over the past few weeks will significantly alter

perceptions, perhaps rendering certain long staple origins

attractive once again. 

A relevant factor in this regard must be the general

tendency of upland staple length to improve in recent

years. In the view of many observers, under certain

market circumstances, the dividing line between

premium staple (say, above 1-1/8”) upland styles, and

genuine barbadense cottons may have become less clear2006/07 2007/08

Americas

United States 9,798 9,500

Mexico 435 435

Peru 10,000 10,000

Europe

Italy 10,000 9,000

Switzerland 8,000 7,000

Germany 5,000 4,500

Turkey 5,000 5,000

Portugal 4,000 4,000

Czech Rep 2,500 2,000

Slovak Rep 2,500 2,000

Spain 800 600

Asia

China 170,000 180,000

India 140,000 140,000

Pakistan 55,000 55,000

Indonesia 15,000 16,000

Japan 13,000 16,000

South Korea 11,000 12,000

Bangladesh 10,000 10,000

Thailand 10,000 10,000

Taiwan 7,000 8,000

Turkmenistan 4,000 4,000

Hong Kong 650 650

Africa

Egypt 80,000 80,000

Others 4,500 4,000

Total 578,183 589,685

World Extra Long and

Long Staple Production

tonnes

Distribution of Long Staple Consumption

China

26%

India

Pakistan 22%

22%

Other Asia

11%

Europe

6%

Egypt

12%

Others

1%

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 7
8 The Long Staple Market

cut than before. The option of incorporating

the former into their blends may be one

response to an intensely competitive global

textile market, in which the achievement of

margins that reflect higher raw material

costs remains a struggle for fine count

spinners as for their counterparts in other

sectors of the industry. It is interesting to

note from Menahem Yogev’s contribution

that Israel is increasing the area devoted to

a hirsutum/barbadense hybrid, intended to

marry the benefits of varieties from each

species.

A further interesting perspective on a

similar theme - but viewed from the

standpoint of ginning technology –

emerges from Ross Rutherford’s review of

the latest advances in roller-ginning

technology. Higher-speed roller-ginning

not only promises to enhance the economics of long staple

lint production, but also has the potential to invest upland

cotton with some of the desirable quality characteristics

traditionally associated with long staples.

The long staple market has led the way in

complementing price and quality with more modern but

(in the context of inter-fibre competition) no less crucial

concepts, such as brand recognition and traceability.

Nowhere has this been more effective than in the United

States, whose Supima brand ranks as an exemplary

exercise in ‘market building’, to which the inspection

programme outlined in this issue adds a further

dimension. 

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 8
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 9
10 The Long Staple Market

Egyptian Statistical Review

By Cotton Outlook’s editorial staff

The area planted to the 2007/08 crop of some

246,500 hectares (according to the Cotton

Arbitration and Testing General Organisation)

represents a moderate recovery from the previous

season’s 231,000 hectares, but is smaller than the

274,000 hectares devoted to the 2005/06 crop.

Based on the average yields achieved in recent

seasons, a lint outturn in the region of 225,000

tonnes might be in prospect.

An appreciable shift in the respective share of

long and ELS varieties has occurred, the

proportion of overall area devoted to the latter

falling from 27 to 18 percent. This season has also

seen the abandonment of the Giza 70 variety, the

demise of which has only partially been offset by

increased plantings of Giza 88.

The area sown to Giza 86, in contrast, has

increased, both in absolute terms, and as a

proportion of overall plantings. According to CATGO’s

figures, that variety will represent 57 percent of new crop

plantings, up from 50 percent in 2006/07. Some private

observers believe the share of Giza 86 will prove even

higher. Since the same variety

also represents a substantial

proportion of the anticipated

carryover at the end of the

2006/07 season, the

prospective supply of Giza 86

appears abundant.

The table above endeavours

to estimate Egyptian supply

and demand, including both

domestic and imported cotton

(for which no detailed

consumption and stock figures

are available). The figures

point to a substantial

rebuilding of stocks during the

2006/07 season, to which

modestly higher production,

substantial imports and the

Carryover September 1, 2006* 25,000

2006/2007 Production (tonnes) 213,000

Imports 115,000

Total Supply 353,000

Domestic Consumption 200,000

Exports 75,000

Total Disappearance 275,000

Carryover September 1, 2007 78,000

2007/2008 Production 225,000

Imports 95,000

Total Supply 398,000

Domestic Consumption 210,000

Exports 105,000

Total Disappearance 315,000

Carryover September 1, 2008 83,000

* including 14,583 tonnes of domestic cotton, according to CATGO

Supply & Demand (Egyptian and Imported)

Area, Production and Yield

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

90/9191/9292/93

93/9494/95

95/96

96/9797/9898/99

99/00

00/01

01/02

02/03

03/04

04/05

05/06

06/07

07/08 -

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

A rea (hectares) P ro d (to nnes) Yield (kg/ha - RH scale.)

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 10
August 2007 11

slow pace of exports have all contributed.

As for next season, domestic consumption is expected

to show some growth, as new investments come on

stream. Our tentative supply and demand figures for

2007/08 also assume that the more comfortable

domestic supply position – and the recent narrowing

of the gap between upland and long staple values -

will cause imports to fall somewhat, and exports to

recover. End-season stocks are nonetheless

forecast to remain comfortable.

The table on the left

focuses solely on the seasonby-season fluctuation of

stocks of Egyptian cotton.

As can be seen, the

estimated stock position at

the beginning of the 2007/08

season (which is based on a

simple extrapolation from

CATGO’s figures at midJuly) appears more

comfortable than for several

seasons. In addition, it will

be noted that the relative

share of Long Staple and

ELS varieties has shifted in

favour of the former.

Beginning Stocks of Egyptian Cotton

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000

99/00

00/01

01/02

02/03

03/04

04/05

05/06

06/07

07/08

tonnes

Long staples Extra-long staples

(domestic cotton only, as at September 1)

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 11
12 The Long Staple Market

US Pima: “demand will dictate 

ultimate supply”

In this interview, Matt Laughlin, Marketing Manager of J. G. Boswell Company, offers some insights into the short and longer

term outlook for Pima production and marketing.

Cotton Outlook: It is understood that J. G. Boswell

Company is one of the largest row crop farmers in the

United States, possibly in the world. Can you give us

some sense of where American Pima fits into the Boswell

operation?

Matt Laughlin: Pima cotton remains our core crop,

which is complemented by tomatoes, wheat, seed alfalfa

and hay alfalfa. 

CO: How is this season’s Pima crop looking?

ML: The crop was planted early, particularly in

comparison to the two previous seasons’ crops, but

inconsistent weather through April and early May slowed

development. However, beneficial temperatures and

conditions had returned by mid-May, and the crop

recovered nicely. We would rate it at average to

slightly better-than-average, and ahead of

development from the two previous crops at this

time.

CO: We saw a record crop in 2006/07 and, based

on our current forecasts, output in 2007/08 may be of

similar proportions. How much higher can Pima

output go? What are the main constraints?

ML: Demand will dictate ultimate supply and,

right now, we are barely keeping pace with growing

demand. Although the United States produced a

record-high 765,000 bales of Pima in 2006/07, total

offtake is expected to reach or exceed that amount.

And the relatively small remaining inventory (on

August 1) will likely be shipped prior to completion

of the new crop harvest. It appears the market can

handle about 800,000 to 850,000 bales of annual (US Pima)

supply, at a landed price range of $1.10 - $1.20. That can

change depending on ELS cotton supply from Egypt and

China, but current demand conditions certainly support

that price and supply level. In addition to competing ELS

supplies, other factors affecting future US Pima

production will include continued viability in California,

where more than 92 percent of the country’s Pima is

produced. Fiber price, rising costs, water availability,

government program support and attractive crop

alternatives will all influence annual Pima production in

California and the US.

CO: Over 80 percent of the US upland crop is now GM

cotton but a far smaller proportion of LS production. Is

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 12
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 13
14 The Long Staple Market

the GM route one that Pima producers will pursue more

vigorously than they have done hitherto?

ML: Pima still represents just 3 to 5 percent of annual

US cotton production, so investment in new Pima

varieties is limited. Producers would always like to have

more tools from which to choose, but we also understand

the economics of the environment. We believe there will

eventually be some GM varieties available in Pima, but

GM Pima will continue to lag behind upland in both

development and use.

CO: Like US upland cotton, Pima has become

essentially an export crop. What are the implications of

that for a major producer such as J. G. Boswell?

ML: US Pima has long been more export-driven than

domestic, and that customer profile will continue. The

majority of all cotton produced in the Far West has

historically been shipped overseas, so the percentage

didn’t change much when we (JGB) transitioned from an

Acala/Pima crop mix to 100 percent Pima six years ago.

There are, however, still some high quality spinners in the

US that continue to consume US Pima cotton. The cotton

will go to wherever it can be most efficiently and costeffectively spun into the highest quality yarns. 

CO: Three markets (China, Pakistan and India)

accounted for roughly 50 percent of export sales in

2006/07. Two of those are themselves long staple

producers. Is that a concern?

ML: Currently, China, Pakistan and India are the

leading producers of fine count yarns. Competition in

every product and market segment is good for

consumers, and that applies to cotton and yarns as well.

However, US Pima cotton has some fiber properties that

are lacking in the ELS cottons produced in China and

India. It would make sense that both of those countries

would work towards less dependence on outside sources

of raw materials, but that kind of success doesn’t come

quickly. We would expect that both India and China will

remain net importers of ELS cotton for the near future and

probably longer. We also see all three countries – China,

Pakistan and India – increasing their output of fine count

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 14
August 2007 15

yarns, thus increasing their requirements for ELS

cotton.

CO: How would you sum up the importance of

the Supima® brand to marketing of your raw

material? What are the latest initiatives in that

regard?

ML: It takes time to build brand awareness and

customer loyalty, but Supima has enjoyed

tremendous success in the 20 years that U.S. Pima

has been in the export market. They have done it the

right way, by staying focused on quality, which isn’t

always easy when working with a commodity. By

aligning itself with selective high-end retailers and

apparel and home textile manufacturers, Supima has

gradually developed a trademark that is associated

with premium products. And those branded

products must be made with U.S. Pima cotton.

Supima cut its teeth in the 1990’s in the bed and bath

market, which helped to establish credibility for its

brand with the coveted consumer demographic of 25

to 40-year-old women. Supima was then able to

leverage that recognition in the high-growth

contemporary fashion market, where that same

consumer demographic wields the most influence.

And, by partnering with high-end retailers and

apparel brands to develop new sources of demand

such as denim and the women’s luxury knit market,

Supima is helping to drive Pima consumption

higher. Additionally, Supima has begun hosting

premium fabric shows in New York that focus

exclusively on Supima-made fabrics.

It takes a long-term commitment and plenty of

industry support to achieve success in the highly

competitive textile business, and Supima has proven to be

a model of vision and perseverance. 

CO: Debate regarding the 2007 Farm Bill is well under

way. What do Pima producers expect from the new

legislation, and what do they need?

ML: Unlike U.S. upland cotton, American Pima has a

history of only limited use of government programs. Well

before California entered into Pima production 17 years

ago, American Pima cotton producers closely regulated

their own production as a means of protecting a market

niche. That “allotment” system was abolished 24 years

ago in an effort to open Pima up to the global market. For

the most part, all Pima producers also grew upland

cotton, so there was some inherent protection provided,

indirectly, through government support on the upland

side. Pima cotton, meanwhile, primarily operated with a

true safety net, no frills loan program. The provision for

deficiency payments was eliminated many years ago.

Today’s US Pima loan program offers 10 months of

government stewardship at fiber prices that do not cover

production costs. However, the fundamental premise of

such a “loan” program is just that; it provides temporary

relief for what is expected to be a temporary problem. 

CO: What would be the implications if the ELS

Competitiveness Payment Programme were eliminated,

as some anticipate?

ML: That question was largely addressed during the

2006/07 season, in which the ELS Competitiveness

Payment Program (CPP) played a much-reduced role in

the marketing of the US Pima crop. One thing we learned

this past season is that, under relatively stable market

conditions, fine count textile mills will confine their

purchases to hand-to-mouth status. And as long as a

satisfactory supply is available, such a market trend is

likely to continue.

CO: Should we be optimistic about the market outlook

for American Pima?

ML: Optimism is a farmer’s best friend, although low

yields can test that resolve. But regardless of a single

season’s yields and prices, there are plenty of reasons to

be optimistic about the market outlook for American Pima

cotton. Fine count yarns and the products they support

have provided the textile industry a much needed boost.

As market demand grows for better quality apparel and

home textile products, more and more mills are

expanding into finer count, ring-spun yarns. And now

that increased consumer demand has carried over to the

larger apparel sector, Supima and its producers are well

positioned to answer the call.

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 15
16 The Long Staple Market

High-Capacity Roller Ginning –

Research to Reality

By Ross Rutherford, Product General Manager, Lummus Corporation, Lubbock, Texas

In an ever-changing marketplace, the cotton industry

is constantly striving to find better ways to improve

competitiveness. With the reduction in US cotton

consumption over the last few years, over 70 percent of

US cotton is being exported for spinning abroad. Both

Pima and Upland cotton producers are always in search

of that improved variety to give them an edge.

Additionally, cotton gins have continued to seek methods

to process the seed cotton into fiber that better meet the

needs of the spinning mills.

While the saw-type cotton gin is, by far, the most

prevalent type of ginning found in the world, this process

does contribute to fiber damage (increased short fiber

content, reduced uniformity, and increased neps), which

in turn leads to lower mill efficiency and yarn quality,

especially in mills equipped with more modern

technology. Roller-type ginning has long been shown to

be a gentler way of separating the cotton lint from the

seed, but the low capacities typically obtained in

traditional roller gins provide an economic barrier to their

more widespread application.

Recent advances in research and development

between the United States Department of Agriculture –

Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and private

industry have produced substantial advances in roller

ginning performance, which now offer never-before-seen

capacities and performance in machinery that previously

could not come close to such results.

Roller Ginning: Background

Roller-type ginning (using either a reciprocating knife

or a rotary knife) is used to process long staple Pima

cotton around the world. From a capacity standpoint, the

rotary-knife roller gin stand is, by far, the higher-capacity

option versus its reciprocating-knife counterpart,

typically without compromising fiber-spinning quality.

Most newer roller ginning facilities in the United States

and other regions of the world are equipped with rotaryknife roller gins. The principle of the rotary-knife roller

gin is shown in Figure 1 on Page 18.

The seed cotton is applied to the ginning roller, with

the separation of fiber and seed taking place as the lint

(adhering to the ginning roller) is pulled under the

stationary knife (which is exerting high pressure against

the ginning roller). The rotary knife directs seed cotton to

the ginning point, sweeps cottonseed away from the

ginning point, and releases the seed cotton that was not

fully ginned to be drawn back to the tip of the stationary

knife for further ginning.

Research Summary

Over the last five decades, the United States

Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service

(USDA-ARS) Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research

Laboratory in Mesilla Park, New Mexico has been

instrumental in the development of the modern rotaryknife roller gin and has performed extensive research on

roller gins in an effort to optimize their performance and

develop means by which this performance can be taken to

higher levels. Since the mid-1980’s, Mesilla Park

researchers, including Marvis Gillum, Carlos Armijo and

others, under the supervision of research leader, Ed

Hughs, have investigated a variety of components of

roller ginning operation, not only to make it more

effective for improved performance on Pima cotton, but

also as a potential cost-effective alternative for ginning

Upland cotton for a more quality-conscious marketplace.

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LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 17
18 The Long Staple Market

Much of this research has been published in the technical

journals of the American Society of Agricultural and

Biological Engineers and presented at numerous technical

conferences, including the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. 

Some of the research studies done more recently at

Mesilla Park have focused on the optimization of rotary

knife load, both for Pima and Upland cotton processing,

along with the development of an independent drive for

the rotary knife, which allows for automatic control of the

roller ginning process, something previously not feasible.

Also studied were the designs of the rotary knife itself

(number of blades) and stationary knife, in order to

maximize performance of the gin stand on different types

of cotton. Fiber quality properties (short fiber content,

length, nep count) were not compromised in any of the

tests as speeds/capacities were increased.

The most recent research, published in early 2007,

applied many of the concepts learned in previous studies

to modify a conventional rotary-knife roller gin stand into

a “high-speed” version, through the increase of rotary

knife and ginning roller speeds and the increase of

pressure between the ginning roller and stationary knife.

Other changes to the conventional machinery set-up

included modifications to the extractor feeder above the

gin stand, increased horsepower for the ginning roller

drive, and a cooling system with blower for the ginning

roller, to preserve ginning roll life.

In addition to the research performed at the USDAARS laboratory gin in Mesilla Park, two roller gins and

feeders at a commercial gin in Arizona were converted

into the high-capacity configuration. With Pima cotton’s

weaker fiber attachment to the seed, substantial capacity

increase would certainly not be unexpected. However,

due to Upland cotton’s stronger attachment force to the

seed, the true test would be in processing Upland cotton

through the machinery. The studies from the gin lab

showed that the high-speed roller gin stand could gin

Upland cotton at nearly the same rate and at the

equivalent power of a conventional saw gin stand. More

encouraging was that the Upland fiber ginned on the

roller gin was more than one staple length longer and had

fewer short fibers and neps.

From Research to Market

Since the most recent work performed at Mesilla Park

was carried out on Continental, Consolidated, and

Lummus machines, the overall concepts were universal in

nature and, thus, could be applied to any one of these

companies’ designs. Lummus engineers took a keen

interest in this body of research, as there are over 400

Lummus roller gins and feeders in operation around

the world. In fact, Senior Vice President and Chief

Technology Officer, Don Van Doorn, collaborated

with the Mesilla Park staff and co-authored one of the

research publications in 2004. Joe Thomas, Lummus

Vice President of Technology, and the entire Lummus

engineering department, worked closely with

researchers Armijo and Gillum to design conversion

kits for upgrading existing roller gins and feeders

(regardless of manufacturer) to the high-speed

configuration. Fourteen Lummus roller gins and

feeders, all in California, were converted in 2006 and

operated during the 2006 ginning season.

In early 2007, Lummus introduced the all-new

Series 2000 roller gin and feeder, which incorporates

all the upgrades and concepts into a production

machine. To date, 15 new roller gins and feeders have

been sold for installation in California, Arkansas, and

Brazil. While the California and Arkansas

installations will process primarily Pima, the Brazil

installation will be focusing on processing Upland, in

order to produce a premium fiber for the market.

And from here? 

With the continued demand from the world textile

industry for longer, more uniform fiber, with less neps,

the results from the studies of high-speed roller ginning

certainly make for a promising scenario in quality

ginning. Until now, while the quality properties of

conventionally roller-ginned cotton have been good, the

reduced ginning capacities resulted in economic

infeasibility for roller ginning any type of cotton other

than Pima. Today’s improved cultivars of Upland cotton,

processed with ginning and lint cleaning technology that

can preserve the important fiber quality properties for the

mill, create the potential for an exciting new frontier for

this king of fibers!

Ross Rutherford is an agricultural engineer and the Product

General Manager for Lummus Corporation in Lubbock, Texas.

Figure 1. Principle of the rotary-knife roller gin

stand. (Courtesy of the USDA-ARS Southwestern

Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory.)

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LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 19
20 The Long Staple Market

Supima Partners with SGS to Build its Brand

and Strengthen its Licensing Program

By Buxton Midyette, VP Marketing & Promotion, Supima and Graham Fogg, Agricultural Services, SGS North America Inc.

Introduction

If you are looking at a towel or shirt labeled as being

made with American Pima, Egyptian or Turkish cotton,

how certain can you be of its authenticity? Verifying usage

of cotton from a specific origin or variety type is a

challenge that many of the cotton industry’s top minds

have long tried to solve.

For Supima, the promotion and marketing

organization for the American Pima cotton industry,

verifying fiber content and origin is critical to the

maintenance of its premium image in the marketplace. In

order to certify product to be branded as Supima, Supima

has developed a rigorous combination of documentation

and inspections to verify fiber usage.

Brand Value

Supima is the only cotton in the world that is marketed

according to its origin, variety and quality. Fine cottons

are often marketed according to country of origin.

However, country of origin is no guarantee that the cotton

meets ELS standards. Additionally, generic trade names

used to describe cottons do not necessarily serve as a

warranty for quality.

Supima labeling is the only assurance that the product

being purchasing is made of luxury ELS cotton. Supima’s

exceptional fiber characteristics translate directly into

optimum performance for fabrics used in both apparel

and home fashion goods:

• Supima Softness: Supima’s extra fiber length

creates softer, finer fabrics that have a more supple

drape. The length also creates a “cleaner”, more

lustrous fabric surface less prone to pilling.

• Supima Color: Supima’s fiber uniformity in terms

of fiber density and weight means that Supima

absorbs dye at a more even rate that will produce

more vibrant and lasting color in fabrics. 

• Supima Durability: Supima’s fiber strength adds

durability and the ability to withstand the

application of performance finishes, such as nonwrinkle and anti-microbial, that can significantly

weaken fabric strength.

Unauthorized use of a substitute fiber in a Supima

labeled product can undermine a fabric’s characteristics

and performance and negatively impact the appearance

of the final good. For this reason, Supima has made fiber

verification a core focus of its brand development.

Trend Towards Premium Cottons

For many brands and retailers, cotton origin and type

is not an issue because the cotton content of their apparel

and home fashion products are labeled generically as

100% cotton. However, consumers are becoming more

and more aware of the benefits of premium cotton. As a

result, many retailers and brands have begun to market

premium cotton as a prominent product feature that adds

aesthetic and performance features to a product.

Distinct origins and varieties of cotton are now finding

their way onto the specification sheets that brands and

retailers create when bidding out apparel and home

product programs to manufacturers. Retailers and

brands are increasingly requiring their suppliers to

document their usage of these special cottons. This

insistence has implications that make their way back

through the supply chain to the manufacturers, finishers,

weavers, knitters and spinners who supply them.

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22 The Long Staple Market

Licensing Program Compliance

Supima requires its licensees

to provide documentation of their

purchases of Supima inputs. This

oversight provides final

consumers’ and manufacturers’

confirmation that they are

receiving products made of

Supima. When you choose

Supima, you are truly getting the

world’s finest cottons.

With the spike in interest in

premium apparel and home

textiles, the growth of the Supima

program has been nothing less

than explosive. The record low

ending stock projections for

American Pima this marketing

season are a testament to the

growth in demand for Supima

cotton. The number of

manufacturers in the Supima

licensing program has also grown

rapidly to meet the demand for

Supima fabrics.

Supima licenses all companies who take ownership of

the fiber through all stages of processing, from spinning,

fabric formation on to production of the final good. All

companies involved in this process must provide Supima

with documentation of their fiber inputs

as well as documentation of their sales,

which should line up for the amount

of inputs being utilized.

While this licensing approach is

effective in most cases, retailers,

brands and manufacturers have

requested that Supima create an

additional layer of supervision

to prevent potential cheating, in

terms of fiber usage.

Additionally, it was the

recommendation of a brand

study that Supima initiate

an inspection program to

increase the value of

Supima’s trademark by

confirming the Supima

content of brandedproduct.

Challenges to Compliance

There are a number of factors

that can undermine compliance in

fiber promotion programs:

Pricing: There is a significant

price premium attached to

ELS cottons like American

Pima when compared to

conventional Hirsutum

cottons. This premium

creates strong financial

incentives to surreptitiously

substitute or blend less expensive cottons

with premium cottons, while maintaining

premium branding.

Availability of local supply: Domesticallygrown cottons may make it more

convenient for manufacturers to procure

fiber inputs locally instead of by imports.

Lack of definitive testing: Because there is

no completely objective scientific means of

testing for cotton content in a finished

good, once accomplished, cheating

can be hard to prove in a legal

context. Companies must be

relied upon to report their usage

honestly.

Operational flexibility:

Overall, most manufacturers

want to preserve as much

freedom as possible to make

substitutions for inputs.

Constraining their ability to

source fiber is something most

manufacturers resist.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes the issue of

fiber labeling on apparel and home fashion very seriously.

According to the FTC, the fiber content statements must

list the generic name of each

fiber that equals 5 percent or

more of the product’s weight, in

order of prominence. Listing of

various types of cotton,

Egyptian, Peruvian, Supima is

allowed but 100 percent of

product weight must be

accounted for, including any

Upland cotton that is used in the

product.

Inspection Program with SGS

After conducting an

extensive review of inspection

firms, Supima decided to

partner with SGS to conduct the

verification of Supima’s

licensees for their compliance

with Supima fiber usage

requirements on Supimabranded product. It was a key

factor to select the correct

partner to ensure we validate

and add value to our Licensee

Program.

SGS is the one of the world’s

leading inspection, verification,

Supima cotton apparel testing and certification

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 22
August 2007 23

companies. With more than 48,000 employees, SGS

operates a network of over 1,000 offices and laboratories

around the world.

SGS Vision

According to Graham Fogg, “at SGS we aim to be the

most competitive and the most productive service

organization in the world. Our core competences in

inspection, verification, testing and certification are

being continuously improved to be best-in-class. They

are at the heart of what we are. Our chosen markets will

be solely determined by our ability to be the most

competitive and to consistently deliver unequalled

service to our customers, both locally and

internationally.”

SGS Partnership with Supima 

SGS has been servicing the cotton industry for many

years with traditional services of weighing, sampling

and quality verification. When SGS was approached by

Supima to verify their licensee program, this provided

SGS with the opportunity to develop a tailored service

to the specific inspection requirements. It was an

exciting challenge, not only to diversify from traditional

inspection services, but also for SGS to work across

business sectors from the raw cotton supply through to

the textile industry.

All SGS work processes are governed by Standard

Operating Procedures (SOP). This is the basis of any

activity to ensure that standards and consistency of

services are maintained right through SGS’s global

network. The licensee verification is no exception and

together SGS and Supima developed an entirely new SOP

for the program. Pilot verifications were implemented

in 2006 in India, Pakistan and China to evaluate the initial

findings before full implementation takes place. In full

swing, Supima anticipates conducting verifications of half

of the licensee base each year.

The Future

Are consumers more

demanding than ever? In today’s

world the consumer has a right to

make choices, whether they are

buying organic vegetables or a

Supima shirt made from

American Pima cotton. The key

is the choice that has been made

and that consumers can have

peace of mind that their choice is

authentic.

SGS is always striving to

research new technology to

improve the delivery of services.

In tomorrow’s world, testing a

garment for the authenticity of

the supply chain is certainly a

significant goal and can hopefully

be attained in the near future.

Conclusion

The inspection program is being instituted in direct

response to requests from Supima licensees to verify that

all licensees are in compliance with fiber usage

requirements. The inspections will provide independent,

third-party verification to

manufacturers, brands, retailers

and consumers that all products

labeled Supima are in compliance

with fiber usage requirements. SGS

estimates that most of the Supima

inspections can be fully completed

in one day, with a minimum of

imposition on licensees.

Supima will always stand for

the highest quality of cotton

available in the world. It is

Supima’s objective to make the

Supima product offering one that

brings both increased profit

margins and prestige to our

licensees and growers. Supima

believes that the inspection

program will increase the value of

the Supima trademark to all who

are involved in our promotional

program.

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 23
24 The Long Staple Market

The Outlook for China’s Long Staple 

Cotton Market in 2007/08

Liang Wenying, Chairwoman, China Nongken Import & Export Co., Ltd.

Strong domestic demand for long staple cotton during

the 2005/06 season boosted ex-gin prices to more than

24,500 yuan per tonne, which in turn raised producers’

income per unit of area by more than 50 percent, and

stimulated planting intentions for 2006. Output in the

2006/07 season reached an historic high, due to a larger

acreage and perfect weather conditions. 

The major long staple cotton variety in Xinjiang was

still “No 21 Xinhai” in 2006/07. This is a variety with early

maturity and high output, which is suitable for planting

in regions with a light incidence of blight disease, such as

Akesu, Kuerle, Kashi and Hetian, among others. This

variety is very popular both with cotton farmers and with

domestic spinning mills. 

In May of last year, Xinjiang Nongken conducted an

investigation, which predicted that long staple cotton area

in 2006/07 would surpass 1.058 million mu (about 70,000

hectares), bringing total output to around 110,700 tonnes,

on the basis of an average yield of 104.61 kilos of lint per

mu (or 1,569.15 kilos per hectare). The final output

achieved, however, was far higher than our prediction.

Our investigation in May 2007 indicates that the output is

around 170,600 tonnes. However, the figure for 2006/07

from the Xinjiang Bureau of Statistics is 185,900 tonnes, on

the basis of a planted area of 1,612,700 mu, and a yield of

115.93 kilos per mu (or 1,738.95 kilos per ha). 

Delegates to the 2007 China Cotton Conference

visit a field of Long Staple cotton in Xinjiang.

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:50 Page 24
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 25
26 The Long Staple Market

The price of long staple cotton was around 23,000 yuan

per tonne (roughly 137.00 cents per lb), ex-gin, in

November, 2006. At that time the market presented a firm

appearance, but prices declined progressively during the

period prior to the Chinese New Year in February 2007.

There were still around 40,000 tonnes of long staple cotton

awaiting sale in the provinces Shandong, Jiangsu and

Zhejiang provinces, as of June 2007. The ex-gin prices had

weakened to between 18,500 and 19,500 yuan per tonne

(about 110.00/116.00 cents per lb).

Local producers in Xinjiang have indicated that there

has been an insufficient demand in the long staple cotton

market. The main reasons for the slide of prices in the past

months have been summarized as follows: Firstly, output

of long staple cotton in 2006/07 increased significantly.

Secondly, sales of high counts of cotton yarn, which are

mainly produced by long staple cotton, have encountered

some difficulties in the export market, owing to factors

such as the appreciation of renminbi and the reduction of

the textile export rebate rate. Some mills have had to shift

from production of high counts to lower counts of cotton

yarn. Since overseas orders are insufficient, mills have

been obliged to increase output of 40s and 50s yarn

instead of 80s and above. Thirdly, spinners have

maintained a hand-to-mouth raw cotton purchasing

strategy, which has resulted in an increase of unsold

stocks. Fourthly, in southern Xinjiang, certain farmers

and traders have mixed different qualities cotton together,

even it seems in certain cases with upland cotton.

Therefore, in general, the quality of long staple cotton was

quite mixed. 

So far, domestic mills have not imported Pima and

Egyptian cotton in significant volume. Pima has been sold

at prices around 109.00/110.00 cents per lb (CIF China

ports). This year’s investigation indicates that demand for

long staple cotton in 2007/08 will be around 180,000

tonnes. The domestic supply and demand in 2008 is

basically balanced. Imports of long staple cotton will be

moderately lower than during the previous year. Some

merchants will be reluctant to sell cotton at lower prices

since they do not believe that the marketing difficulties

can be solved with lower prices. It is very hard to predict

when demand will increase. Cotton exports are still

limited and only a few thousand tonnes of long staple

cotton are allowed to be exported each year. It is expected

that more than 3,000 tonnes of long staple cotton could be

exported through Xinjiang Nongken, before the arrival of

the new crop. 

Official figures for planted area, yield and total output

in 2007/08 are not yet available. The weather at planting

time was better than normal in southern Xinjiang, without

low temperatures and with few hailstorms. The area

damaged by strong winds and sandstorms is also smaller

than last year. According to our prediction, the acreage

devoted to long staple cotton in 2007/08 will be around

1,545,000 mu (103,000 hectares), yields will be around 110

kilos per mu (or 1,650 kilos per hectare) and total output

will be around 170,000 tonnes. However, the trend of long

staple prices needs further observation. 

(Note: The figures in this article are those available in 

June 2007).

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 26
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 27
28 The Long Staple Market

Sudan’s Efforts to Improve

Cotton Quality

By Abdelrahman H. Latif, Sudan Cotton Company Limited

Cotton “Gossypium” is the major natural fibre crop

worldwide. More than 200 million farmers and workers

are directly or indirectly employed in cotton production,

marketing and processing, worldwide.

The Sudan produces a wide spectrum of cotton staple,

from the extra long (extra fine count) through short staple

(coarse count). In Sudan, cotton is still considered as the

main cash crop, and the major foreign exchange earner.

Historically, the cotton plant in Sudan is indigenous. It has

been grown for centuries and a number of its wild

relatives exists in various parts of the country.

Commercial growing of the crop started in 1867, but the

big jump of commercial production was in 1926, the first

year after completing construction of Sennar Dam, which

marked the official start of the Gezira Scheme, on which

extra long barbadense types were initially cultivated.

This large production has been backed by a strong

research programme. The Agricultural Research

Corporation (ARC) has an intensive programme to

develop new varieties, increase yield and improve quality,

in order to meet the latest demands of consumers and

better satisfy their needs. As a result, many varieties have

been released, including both hirsutum and barbadense, 

the three main types being the extra long Barakat (35mm),

the medium Barac (67)B (28mm) and the short staple

Acrain (26mm).

The research efforts within the ARC’s Cotton Program

are focused on the improvement of yield and quality. As a

result, a series of varieties has recently been developed,

namely Elhadi (33mm), Abdin (32mm) and Knight

(29mm). However, results have also been achieved in the

district trial of varieties such as the S-Pima (Sudan Pima)

a top quality cotton, exceeding Barakat in length, strength

and fineness. Promising crosses and introductions

continue to be characterized by their high quality

potential, especially in terms of fibre strength, which is in

a range of 40-45g/tex. These continuing efforts promise to

enhance and extend the quality of Sudan cotton in the

future.

2.5SL (mm) UR% Mic. HVI (g/tex)

1Egy 1 33 85 3.2 41

1Egy3 33 86 3.5 45

1Egy5 35 86 3.3 43

2Egy2 33 88 3.8 42

3-73 35 86 3.2 40

9-50 36 86 4 41

Mean fibre properties for promising extra

long lines

Variety Length (mm) Mic. Strength

Elhadi 33 3.7 37

Siddig 33 3.6 38

Kheiralla 29 4.2 32

Knight 29 4.5 31

Abdin 32 4.4 34

Mean fibre properties for some newlyreleased varieties

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 28
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30 The Long Staple Market

Long Staples in Central Asia

By Galina Fisher, CIS Editor, Cotlook Ltd.

Historical decline

Long staple varieties are grown in three producing

countries in Central Asian, namely Uzbekistan,

Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The aggregate seasonal

production since the break-up of the Soviet Union has

declined dramatically. During the past ten years,

production has fluctuated between 73,000 tonnes (in

2002/03) and 30,000 tonnes (in 2005/06), the lowest level

on record. The 10-year average is estimated to be around

48,000 tonnes, which represents a mere fraction of the

volume achieved in the ‘Soviet era’ (for instance, in

1988/89, a record production year, some 390,000 tonnes

were produced).

The steady decline recorded during the 90’s and the

benchmark of low production that has now been

established can be attributed to a number of factors: an

absence of production targets for such varieties; strong

pressure on farmers to meet the overall cotton production

target; poor quality planting seeds; lack of investment in

research and development; deterioration of ginning

facilities. Tajikistan, and to a lesser extent Turkmenistan,

have, moreover, experienced a chronic shortage of prime

inputs, including fertilisers. 

As the bulk of production is exported, the difference in

international prices between upland and LS has some

limited effect on fluctuations in production from season to

season. A more direct impact, however, is derived

from weather conditions, particularly at planting

time, since they determine whether a crop that

typically requires a longer growing period than

other varieties can be established.

Tight control of the cotton sectors, combined

with a lack of incentives for farmers, would seem

to suggest that, unless these countries improve

dramatically all aspects of long staple production,

from the quality of planting seed to the ginning

process, the short to medium-term outlook, at

least, is likely to remain pessimistic. 

Prospects for 2007/08

Unlike in 2006/07, when aggregate production

reached an estimated 47,000 tonnes, weather

conditions this spring have been unfavourable.

Planting in many areas began later than normal.

Some fields had to be re-sown and, at the time of

writing this article, an insufficient number of hot days has

been recorded. In the circumstances, the rest of the

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

1990/911992/931994/951996/971998/992000/012002/032004/052006/07

tonnes

Uzbekistan Tajikistan Turkmenistan

Long Staple Production in Central Asia

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 30
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 31
32 The Long Staple Market

growing period will need to be favourable for the crop

outlook to be encouraging. 

Cotton Outlook foresees a decline in aggregate output

in the region, in comparison to last season, of 15,000

tonnes, to around 32,000.

Turkmenistan is today the largest producer of this

variety in the region, yet the difficulties even in that

country are numerous. Akhal and, to a lesser extent, Mary

are the two provinces in which long staple varieties are

cultivated. In 2006/07, thanks to favourable weather,

output reached the highest level for several seasons, of

around 25,000 tonnes, according to private estimates. By

early June 2007, the bulk of that crop remained unsold,

owing principally to low price ideas from international

merchants and weak demand from spinners. The prospect

of a sizeable carryover was not ruled out.

Despite sowings of similar magnitude to last year

and better incentives to farmers in place - in the form

of higher procurement prices for seed cotton - the

less favourable weather conditions this spring augur

somewhat lower yields. Our initial lint production

forecast for 2007/08 stands at around 20,000 tonnes.

In Uzbekistan, long staple output accounts for

less than one percent of total production, and

cultivation is confined to only one of the 13 cottongrowing provinces, namely Surkhandar, where the

climate and soil are most suited. Two long staple

varieties are cultivated. 

Uzbekistan is probably the only country in the

region with well-established research and

development facilities for cotton seed varieties.

During the past four seasons, a traditional long

staple variety, ‘Karshi-8’, was abandoned, to give

way to a better, newly-developed seed, ‘Denov’.

‘Termez-31’, a traditional cultivar, is still popular and

accounts for nearly 70 percent of the total area

planted under long staples. We estimate the area

planted in both 2006/07 and 2007/08 to be of similar

size at around 20,000 hectares. Our estimate of long

staple production in 2006/07 is 12,000 tonnes. Taking

into consideration the possible effect of adverse

conditions at planting time on potential yield, we

have lowered our projection for 2007/08 to just 6,000

tonnes.

As customary, the authorities in Tajikistan

initially anticipated a large area to be covered by

long staple varieties – this spring they were hoping

that farmers would plant over 56,000 hectares. However,

realistically, farmers have not been able to achieve such an

ambitious aim for many years. In addition, poor spring

weather has further curtailed plantings, which, we

understand, have not exceeded 16,000 hectares,

representing a decline in comparison with last year area of

around 10,000 hectares. Fields devoted to long staples

represent only 6 percent of the total area sown.

The main producing region is the southern province of

Khotlon. Small areas are also sown in two districts of

Sugd province. Two local, traditional varieties are

cultivated - ‘Vakhsh-9326’ and ‘Vakhsh-750’. Seed cotton

yield is perhaps the lowest in Central Asia, at around 11-

13 centner (1,100/1,300 kilos) per hectare, which is

attributed to poor quality planting seed, outdated

varieties and lack of prime inputs. In 2006/07, an

estimated 10,000 tonnes of lint were produced. For

2007/08, our initial forecast is 6,000 tonnes.

Marketing

Local spinners consume very little long staple cotton,

and over 90 percent of the aggregate long staple supply is

marketed through international merchants to overseas

customers. With consumption in Europe and CIS

countries declining, the growing trend is for the region’s

long staple output to be directed towards markets in Asia.

2006/07 2007/08 Difference

Turkmenistan 25,000 20,000 -5,000

Uzbekistan 12,000 6,000 -6,000

Tajikistan 10,000 6,000 -4,000

47,000 32,000 -15,000

We offer our clients the best quality of

Egyptian raw cotton

This is not a promotion

It is a promise

Sidi Gaber Towers Negmat Smouha, 5th Floor,

In Front Of 4th Tower, Sidi Gaber

Alexandria - Egypt

Tel: +203 4296881 Tel/Fax: +203 4299224

Mobile: +20 101666676 +20 122231153

E-mail: trustco@link.net

Member of ALCOTEXA

Founded by

Adel Leheta

Chairman

Mohamed Leheta

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 32
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34 The Long Staple Market

Extra Long Staple Cotton in Israel

By Menahem Yogev, Classing Institute Director, Israel Cotton Board

Mail: mali@cotton.co.il Website: www.cotton.co.il

In recent years, the quality

characteristics of Israeli Pima

have improved significantly, as

a result of breeding new local

varieties that consistently give

staple length of 1.7/16”,

strength within a range of 38-41

GPT, Micronaire of 3.7-4.2 and

lower neps.

In addition, these new

varieties require a shorter

season and are less susceptible

to leaf diseases.

Classing results from recent seasons show that most of

the crop is Grade 2 (based on USDA standards), with 95

percent attaining Grade 3 and better.

Lint is HVI-classed and

marketed according to quality

specifications – via

international traders. HVI data

is available upon request.

Each and every bale is

tested for stickiness using

Lintronics FiberLab. This

procedure has been conducted

for many years and Israeli

cotton is non sticky.

All cotton is mechanically

picked and roller-ginned. There

are roller gins throughout the country so that the distance

from the field to the gin does not influence the quality of

the fibre from region to region.

All Israel’s cotton is exported, via the international

trade, mainly to the Far East (including India) but also to

Turkey, European markets and South America.

Variety Length Micronaire Strength (gpt)

Pima 1.7/16" 3.7-4.1 Av. 3.9 38-41 Av. 39

Acalpi 1.3/8"- 1.7/16" 3.5-3.9 Av. 3.7 34-36 Av. 35

A Comparison of Quality Parameters of ELS

Varieties-2007

Years Micronaire Length Strength (gpt)

1994 -2000 3.8-4.4 Av.4.0 1.3/8" 34-37 Av. 36

2000 -2004 3.6-4.1 Av. 3.8 1.7/16" 36-38 Av. 37

2004- 2007 3.7- 4.2 Av.3.9 1.7/16" 38-41 Av. 39

PIMA: Improving Quality Parameters in the

course of Time and Varieties

Total Cotton Area & Pima Area in Israel

 '000 Hectares

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07

Total Cotton Acreage

Pima Acreage

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 34
August 2007 35

ACALPI is a hybrid of Gossypium hirsutum and

Gossypium barbadense that combines advantages of the two

parents: early maturity, high yield, fine fibres and

resistance to pathogens. This variety had been tested for a

few years prior to its declaration as a commercial seed.

Breeders are working on hybrid varieties with higher

yields and improved qualities, consideration being given

also to saving water and to shortening the growing

season.

Organic Pima

Last year, Israeli farmers planted two fields (15

hectares) of organic Pima. The main problem they had to

deal with was the prohibition of defoliation in organic

fields. Since all cotton fields in Israel are machine-picked,

defoliation is an essential, pre-picking procedure.

Using very sophisticated drip irrigation, picking and

ginning techniques, organic farmers succeeded in

producing a yield as high as 1,500 kilos of lint cotton per

hectare. Quality parameters – staple length, strength,

Micronaire range etc. are the same as those obtained 

from conventional cotton, while most of the bales 

colour-trash grade was grade 3. Encouraged by the

results, and due to demand for organic ELS cotton, Israel’s

organic farmers planted about 150 hectares of organic

Pima to the 2007 crop.

Pima Production in Israel '000 tons

0

4

8

12

16

20

96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06

Acalpi Area ( Hectares) & Production (Tons)

in Israel

0

400

800

1200

1600

2000

2400

2004 2005 2006 2007

Area Output

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 35
36 The Long Staple Market

Australian Pima: “jury still out...”

By David Dowling, Editor, Australian Cotton Grower

Australian Pima production in the 2006/07 season is

expected to be about 12,000 bales. Once again, Australian

cotton production generally has been constrained by a

chronic lack of irrigation water — the result of a severe

drought over the past three years, which comes at the

end of a chronic rainfall shortage which has lasted for the

past decade.

There are two schools of thought on this. One view is

that the drought is one of the worst symptoms of global

climate change and a portent of things to come. The

other is that cyclical drought is the natural order of

things in this country and the current event is a natural,

although very severe, situation. Only time will tell.

One of the results of the drought has been the total

elimination of any cotton production in the traditional

Pima growing areas in western New South Wales —

Bourke and Tandou. This has been partially

compensated for by interest in Pima from upland

growers in areas such as Moree and Hillston.

The upshot of this geographical shift in production

was that no Pima was planted within 300 kilometres of a

roller gin. All modules were trucked to Bourke for

ginning, and the net cost of transport and ginning is

about $60 a bale higher than the upland equivalent.

Although the total area planted was only about 1,500

hectares by a handful of growers, there has been a high

level of interest in the result of their efforts. Success this

season would have produced a considerable expansion

in Pima plantings in future years.

These growers were attracted by pre-planting prices

for Pima of about AUD$700 a bale versus upland prices

of less than AUD$400 a bale. They also saw an

LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 36
LongStaple_SF_2 8/8/07 16:51 Page 37
38 The Long Staple Market

advantage, in a severe drought

year, of diverting what water

they had into a higher value

crop.

According to Australia’s

biggest pima producer this year,

Moree grower Will Kirkby, the

jury is still out on the success or

otherwise of the Pima

experiment.

“Our Pima yields will

probably be 2.8 bales per acre

versus 4.4 bales per acre for our

upland. Some growers had

higher Pima yields, but then

some growers also had

considerably higher upland

yields as well,” says Will.

“The price differential also

closed somewhat during the

season with the recent relative

strength in upland prices.

Overall, the difference in profit

will be less than $50 an acre

either way.”

While the yield “drag” is a

problem, new varieties being

developed in Australia may soon

change that situation and

narrow the gap between Pima

and upland yield potential.

When that happens, more and

more growers are likely to

spread their risk by planting a

proportion of their acres to Pima.

The advantage of this

drought year was there was no

rain during picking and the

quality of the Pima was “nothing

short of exceptional” according

to Tony Geitz from merchant Paul Reinhart, which

handles most of the Pima crop.

“The cotton was extremely bright, it had good staple

length, Micronaire of 4.0 and strength of over 45 gpt,” he

says. “We had some classers out here from the US and

they rated it as some of the best Pima cotton they had seen

in the world.”

Translating this exceptional quality into a price

premium could prove to be difficult in the short term. 

“Australian Pima is an unknown quantity for most

buyers, so we may have to sell it as equivalent to SJV

Pima, even though it has superior quality.” 

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