07.10.2025 Fevzi Çondur Highlights Strategic Importance of Cotton on World Cotton Day

Fevzi Çondur, Chairman of the Aydın Commodity Exchange (ATB) and the National Cotton Council (NCC), emphasized the strategic role of cotton in Turkey’s agriculture and industry on World Cotton Day.

Çondur underlined that cotton production extends beyond farming, forming a critical value chain from agriculture to textile and ready-to-wear industries. He noted that Turkey ranks 7th in global cotton production and 4th in cotton imports, highlighting both opportunities and challenges for the sector.

Addressing the impact of climate change, Çondur warned that increasing drought, declining groundwater, and restricted irrigation threaten cotton yields, posing risks to farmers’ income, rural development, and economic stability. He stressed the need for efficient water management, widespread adoption of pressurized irrigation, development of drought-resistant cotton varieties, and support for R&D to ensure sustainable production.

In addition to climate challenges, Mr. Çondur drew attention to rising input costs, which threaten farmers’ sustainability, and urged updates to support policies, better financing access, and planned production models.

Highlighting the critical role of cotton for Turkey’s textile and ready-to-wear industry, which accounts for about 30% of exports, he warned that high production costs are pushing manufacturers to lower-cost countries. Çondur called for strengthening domestic cotton production, licensed warehousing, electronic warehouse receipt systems, and producer-industry cooperation to maintain competitiveness.

Concluding, Çondur stressed that cotton is environmentally friendly, indispensable for the economy, and vital for employment, urging all stakeholders to protect and invest in sustainable cotton production.