Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) representatives has a meeting with the leadership of Uzbekistan’s state light industry company Uzbekengilsanoat during their visit to Uzbekistan last week to discuss introduction of the methodologies of Better Cotton in Uzbekistan which would help Uzbek farmers increase cotton harvest while reducing costs.

At the meeting, BCI emphasized that the famous global brands producing knitting products have switched to purchasing raw cotton grown in accordance with BCI’s Better Cotton methodologies. This year, IKEA plans to completely switch to cotton grown by farmers using this methodology, and many other major textile producers also plan to switch to such system by 2020.

Introduction of this methodology in the production of cotton will allow Uzbek textile producers to further strengthen their position in the global market, according to experts.

Cotton is an important export item for Uzbekistan. BCI welcomes the day when Uzbek cotton farmers will be able to benefit from the methodologies of Better Cotton.

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a not-for-profit organization stewarding the global standards for Better Cotton, and bringing together cotton’s complex supply chain, from the farmers to the retailers.

The Better Cotton Initiative was founded in 2005 by leaders of the world market and international non-governmental organizations such as Adidas, Gap Inc., H & M, ICCO, IFAP, IFC, IKEA, Organic Exchange, Oxfam, PAN UK and WWF.

This initiative is aimed at teaching farmers with new technologies of cotton cultivation that require less water and pesticides, improve labor standards, and increase farmers’ profits. In order to increase the fertility, different types of cottonseed and several methods of cultivation are used.