Winter 2005, Dr. Sebahattin Gazanfer
The IFCP was very active during the 63rd Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), which was recently held in Mumbai, India. An open session totally devoted to the subject of demand enhancement for cotton with a number of papers presented by the distinguished speakers generated great interest among the participants. Furthermore, a breakaway session specifically devoted to fiber content labeling was very effective in demonstrating the existence of a crucial link between the fiber content awareness of consumers and the promotion of cotton worldwide. I would like to highlight some of the interesting points that emerged from these sessions.
It has been evidenced that the world consumption of cotton rose by 2.6% annually during the last five years. The driving force behind this demand growth was largely attributable to the relatively lower cotton prices prevalent during the same period. Based on the supply and demand estimates, price forecasts of the ICAC indicate that the cotton prices are not expected to show a significant rise at least during the present and perhaps the next seasons. Hence, it becomes evident that now is the right time for the launching of promotional efforts to enhance the demand for cotton. The other factors affecting the demand growth were non-price factors such as the cotton quality and diversity of its uses, both related to research and promotion.
During the last three decades, significant increases in cotton consumption at retail level have been witnessed in the USA, where sustained and successful promotional campaigns have made the greatest contribution to the growth of cotton consumption. This has become the most important and exemplary phenomenon, since cotton consumption in other regions such as in Europe and Far East, where the promotional activities have remained of limited scale, has increased little or declined.
Ever since its formation in 2000 in Cairns, Australia, the IFCP has been repeatedly advocating the notion that the promotion efforts are the best way to build consumer demand, irrespective of prices and other considerations. The IFCP has also been instrumental in demonstrating that there are many effective strategies for conducting cotton promotion programs. The productive work done by our predecessors at the IFCP have raised the awareness among the cotton producing and consuming countries on the utmost importance and necessity of the promotional efforts for the creation of a healthy world cotton economy. As we assume our new positions with utmost excitement, we are equally confident of our capability to face the challenges that lie ahead of our fixed destination. We do not have the luxury of looking for the second best option.
Therefore, I would like to invite everyone in our cotton family to work towards the same clear and well-defined goal: to significantly increase cotton consumption.
I wish you every success in your work.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sebahattin Gazanfer
Chairman
International Forum for Cotton Promotion