About 220 people representing all segments of cotton supply chain such as producers, warehouse operators, merchants and shipping agencies met in Lubbock recently for a meeting organised by Texas Cotton Association (TCA).
The purpose of the annual meeting was to provide a forum and setting for each segment of the cotton industry to meet and communicate any anticipated problem associated with flowing Texas cotton to market. Kandice Poteet, Executive Vice President of Texas Cotton Association, in a recent meeting with China National Textile and Apparel Council, held in Dallas, indicated demand for US cotton in China would increase by million bales over previous years, which is highly significant while there are trade disputes between the two countries.
Tariffs occupied center stage in the discussions. Although China’s image as the number one importer of US cotton has eroded in the past two years, it still imports good quantity and hence the situation needs attention. As textile processing is shifting away from China, focusing on the needs of emerging markets in Southeast Asia such as the flow to these markets must be carefully considered by the United States’ cotton industry.
