OCA hosts event in New Delhi
The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) is hosting an event dedicated to scaling up organic cotton farming in India.
To better emphasise its support of small farmers, a delegation of 13 growers spoke in a panel talk, offering attendees first-hand insights into the challenges they face, the organisation said.
OCA said it is currently working with nearly 110,000 farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana. Last season, 102,000 tonnes of seed cotton were produced by members of its Farm Programme who received an 8% premium.
“India is at the heart of the global organic cotton movement, and the progress we’ve achieved here since starting our work in 2016 demonstrates what’s possible when farmers, brands and industry leaders come together. Scaling organic cotton isn’t just about increasing production—it’s about creating lasting value for farmers, protecting the environment, and strengthening the textile industry,” commented OCA executive director Bart Vollaard.
The goal to scale organic cotton aligns with the Government of India's Five F Initiative to boost the country’s textile sector. This roadmap, as described by Narendra Modi, speaking at Bharat Tex earlier this year, is “a journey beginning the process at farms, producing fibre, manufacturing in factories, executing the product in fashion, and taking it to foreign markets”.
Image courtesy of OCA
