Tom Mannes, Cotton Australia's Regional Manager for Southern NSW, attended the Better Cotton Large Farm Week 2024 in Türkiye. The event brought together Better Cotton partners from large-scale cotton-producing countries, including Brazil, the USA, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye, with the aim of fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and addressing common sustainability challenges in cotton farming.

On the first day, Tom presented Australia's achievements in sustainable cotton production, highlighting the industry’s focus on Integrated Pest Management (IPM). He detailed how the use of synthetic insecticides has decreased by 97% since 1992 as a result of these efforts. Tom also outlined Cotton Australia's stewardship initiatives, including the myBMP program, which promotes best management practices across Australian farms.

Reflecting on the discussions, Tom emphasised the importance of learning from other countries’ experiences. “It was valuable to hear from other large-scale cotton-producing countries and understand the challenges they face in their farming systems,” he said. “By exchanging ideas, we can work together to increase not only the demand for cotton but also the amount of sustainably grown cotton globally.”

The event included visits to cotton farms and gins in Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa, with a stop at Ünteks Group, one of Türkiye’s largest fully integrated textile companies. Ünteks produces cotton yarn, knits fabric, manufactures garments, and handles rotary printing and dyeing. Their spinning facility produces 100% cotton yarns, which are mainly used for their own production, alongside other sustainable fibres like recycled and organic cotton.

These visits provided participants with valuable insights into cotton production in other countries and facilitated engaging discussions around best practices, offering the opportunity to witness various stages of the cotton supply chain firsthand.