The government will not support cotton crops during the coming agricultural season, said Agriculture Minister Adel al-Beltagy, who called on farmers who would cultivate long-, short- or medium-staple cotton to market it before its cultivation.
In a press conference on Sunday, Beltagy said that cultivation of cotton, especially the long-staple kind is very expensive and that there has been no turnout on it anymore either in the local or international market.
Factories and spinners no longer buy Egyptian cotton as they can purchase other cheap types, despite governmental pressure and enhancing the short-staple cotton to level of the long-staple one, the minister said.
The minister urged farmers to be committed to the ministry’s instructions regarding methods of cultivation, types of crops required in markets.
Beltagy also warned farmers against the high costs of cotton or other crops without ensuring its marketing. He pointed to a decline in the usage of Egyptian cotton around the world due to development of industry and receiving higher amounts of short-staple cotton, which is cheaper than the Egyptian one.
The ministry is also coordinating with authorities in question to re-evaluate the stance of Egyptian cotton in order to restore it again at local and international markets, the minister said indicating the possibility of imposing dumping fees on imported cotton and offering revenues of the fees to farmers.
He stressed that the government will not purchase the cotton crop during the coming season without supporting farmers like the previous season.
Edited translation from MENA
