We collect neem and prepare it ourselves. There are ten in my family and we all work in the fields, sometimes with extra help. The women do the sowing, weeding and harvesting. Organic cotton is grown in more than 15 countries but still remains a tiny fraction of global cotton production. Projects and experiments have also expanded during the 1990s to include many countries in Africa.
Signs are that organic cotton is steadily moving into the mainstream, creating increased demand.
The Co-op began selling organic textiles in 1993 and sold two million organic items in 1998. Organic cotton could provide some of the answers, though as yet there are still a number of difficulties to overcome. For example, indications are that organic can be cheaper than conventional but a lot depends on how cotton is grown, whether labour is paid or not, and the price of land. It appears that extra costs are often added along the chain which can result in higher prices when the cotton reaches the shops. And as long as organic cotton remains a 'niche' operation, economies of scale will be difficult.