Page 32 - August-September-2017

32
Interview Director, Supply Chain Marketing
An Interview with
William R. Bettendorf
Cotton Council International, U.S.A
Cotton USA promotes U.S. cotton fibre around the shared recent developments and approaches of
globe, which works in more than 50 countries through
20 offices around the world with an aim to set global
standards of purity, quality and responsibility in the
cotton industry. TEXtalks: How would you compare the US cotton
quality with other cottons of the world?
The Director of supply chain marketing at Cotton Willaim R. Bettendorf: The quality of American cotton
Council International, USA– Mr William R. Bettendorf
August/September 2017
Cotton USA with TEXtalks International at 2017 Quality
Conference in Dubai.
is very good and reason is because we base our
33
cotton varieties on technology. We use technology to sustainable fiber production by the US cotton
industry?
cross breed; enhance the fiber characteristics of the
windows cross breeding is history. In today’s world, in a lot of practices in place in order to manage and Interview
Willaim R. Bettendorf: The sustainability initiatives
cotton like lint, strength, micronaire and all of other
taken by the US cotton industry are varied. We do have
fiber characteristics. Today the cross breeding of the
produce sustainable cotton crop. Some of these
order to survive, and yet to be more efficient the way
includes, production practices such as no-tail or
we maximize efficiency is, by using technology, to
low-tail production in order to minimize soil erosion
create superior seeds. The USA industry is leading the
and water runoff. We use quite a bit of technology to
world in this and based on fiber properties, as well as
look at our fields of cotton. In order to measure various
our framing practices, we believe USA cotton is the
most superior raw cotton in the world.
water, is the field too dry or is it too wet, there could be
TEXtalks: What changes have been seen in the US
insect damage. Using satellite technology and GPS
for a long time. Why would you buy foreign cotton
synthetic fibers, it increases by 15-20% per year. When
cotton production map over last 10 years? things that impact the production of cotton such as year but, when you look at the consumption of ours. Pakistan has been a loyal customer of US cotton
technology or even a drone, we can take a picture of
you forecast it in 10, 20 or 30 years into the future there
because you have your own cotton which is great for
Willaim R. Bettendorf: Production in United States cotton fields and we can see where there is large is going to be a huge gap. We will see synthetic fiber certain uses. But because you are such a big
has fluctuated; generally we remained pretty steady insect infestations or where they are low so that when up on the top and that of natural fibers specially cotton exporters of textile to the global market you have to be
over the past 10 years. A little higher, somewhere a we go into the field in order to apply the chemicals to at the very bottom that is our challenge. It also not just a net importer. Pakistan has to import cotton in order to
little lower, but generally our production is quite manage a crop whether they need a fertilizer or a a challenge for us as a cotton industry, it’s a huge meet the demands of the customers.
consistent in terms of where the cotton is being grown. pesticide or a herbicide, by using the GPS maps we challenge for the environment.
Based on competitive commodity prices, the US can see where we need to apply those chemicals. US cotton is used for contamination free textile product
cotton has shifted a little bit further out of the west and If you start Googling micro-beeds, polyester that you are exporting to the global market. Or certain
in towards central parts of the United States, around We apply them using GPS technology tied into the micro-beeds, we are finding that polyester has a low higher quality products that have to be made from the
Texas. The state of Texas is now our largest cotton tractor only where they are needed, down to about 3rd price, it can produce some great fabric but cotton that Pakistan does not produce. We see
producing state. Second largest cotton producing of a meter. So that tractors as it go up and down in the environmentally we have started to see some very Pakistan as a great partner. Also CPEC, the Chinese
state is Georgia on the east coast. If you look at the field, it will apply those chemicals only where they are negative ramifications setter. If you put a cotton shirt in have a very high quality standard that is why US cotton
production map of the United States 10, 15 years ago needed. In the old days they were spread all across the ground, in 5 to years 10 years it will go back to the has been the number one in fiber suppliers to the
you can see much larger production in the west coast the field, those days are gone, we can’t do that. It’s Mother Nature but polyester is going to be there for a Chinese industry for year.
in California. Unfortunately, due to higher prices for bad for the environment, it’s bad for the workers, and long long time. We have to not think about today but
grapes, nuts and vegetables, a lot of that production of it’s bad for the bank account, it’s wasteful. The cotton we have to think about tomorrow and how the use of As china and Pakistan are coming close and close
cotton has been moved out of California and into other farmers are business people just like anybody else and natural fiber is critical to our future well-being and not together, I think, we will see greater market share for
regions. buying expensive fertilizers and pesticide and for us but for our kids and our grandchildren and future US cotton, being consumed by the mills in Pakistan in
herbicide, they don’t want us to spend money more generations. order to meet the quality requirements to the Chinese.
TEXtalks: What does sustainability mean to than they have to so they not just going to go and
cotton USA? spread it around without knowing that how it’s going to TEXtalks: How do you see the scope of US cotton They know they cannot compete the commodity level
Willaim R. Bettendorf: Firstly, sustainability for the US effect the crop. for Pakistan? any longer; they are up in their game. We are seeing
cotton industry is critical. It is the only way, we can Willaim R. Bettendorf: Pakistan is a great market, the the Chinese start to nominate the US cotton in their
survive. Sustainability means; we are sustainable for market has so much going for, it’ has a beautiful fabric supply chain, in order to provide high quality products.
the environment, and we are not going to damage it. TEXtalks: What challenges the US cotton is facing with a long and very rich tradition of cotton industry Pakistan is a great market and it’s going to be a great
Because we need the environment, in order to at the moment? and there is so much potential. The US cotton industry future market. We are looking forward to do a lot
produce crop in the future. It has to be sustainable for Willaim R. Bettendorf: The challenge is that the US is very very excited to have Pakistan as a partner of more in Pakistan industry and we are pleased to be
our customers for the textile mills. We can’t price cotton is facing right now its not cotton from the other the partners.
ourselves out of the market and we have to be able to countries, it is polyester. When you look at the global
find a price point that is sustainable for our customers. cotton trade, the United States is the largest global
So that you can come back again to buy more US supplier of raw fiber to the global mills.
cotton in the future. Thirdly it has to be sustainable for
our producers because they have to make a profit as
We are the third largest producers, behind China and
well they have to feed their families. It’s a win-win-win India but when you look at the global exports the US is
combination between the buyer, the seller and, the number one. Our challenge is not competitive cotton
environment, in the middle. from other countries but its polyester and synthetic
fibers. When you look at global fiber consumptions,
TEXtalks: What initiatives are taken for a cotton has a gradual increase, I think it may be 6% a
August/September 2017