Cotton Australia’s myBMP Manager, Rob Crothers, recently took part in the Better Cotton-funded International Large Farm Delegation to Brazil. The study tour brought together representatives from major cotton-producing countries including Brazil, the USA, Pakistan, Greece, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Spain, Israel and Australia, with the aim of sharing insights, exploring challenges and getting a firsthand look at Brazil’s cotton industry — from farm to spinning.

Hosted by ABRAPA, the Brazilian Cotton Growers Association, the delegation took part in a full program of farm visits, industry briefings and mill tours. Brazil is one of the world’s largest cotton exporters, producing around 14.7 million bales each year, with 92% grown using rainfall alone. The visit highlighted Brazil’s large-scale farming innovation and gave delegates a deeper understanding of local agronomic practices and market conditions.

One of the key visits was to the Santa Rosa region, where farms sit about 1000m above sea level and receive around 1,800mm of rainfall a year, mostly between September and May. Soybeans are planted in spring and harvested in January, followed by cotton planted directly into the stubble and picked in July. Yields average 9 bales per hectare. Brazilian growers are using technology such as GPS-guided machinery, variable rate input applications, and tools that overlay yield and fibre quality data at the field level.

Pest management remains a major challenge, especially in controlling boll weevil, which continues to put pressure on crop health and productivity. Without access to GM traits for boll weevil control, growers often need to apply multiple insecticide treatments during the season. In response, Brazil is investing in research and development of biological options for both fungicide and insect control. Around 60% of growers are now using biological products alongside conventional crop protection.

Operational challenges, like spray wheel tracking in narrow row setups, also came up during the tour and were discussed among the group. With growing interest in using 75cm row spacings, addressing machinery issues will be important to ensure good spray coverage and reduce crop damage.

The group also visited Cooperfibra, a spinning mill in Campo Verde, to see how Brazilian cotton is processed and traced through the supply chain. With 30% of Brazil’s cotton processed domestically and 70% exported (mainly to Asia), a robust QR code system has been developed to ensure full traceability from farm to retail.

Rob’s involvement in the delegation offered a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge on how Australia’s best management practices, through myBMP, compare with large-scale global operations. He also joined discussions on sustainable certification, the use of technology and the role of data — all key areas in both the Brazilian and Australian cotton sectors.

The tour was a valuable chance for global collaboration and learning, highlighting the importance of international engagement in supporting more sustainable cotton production around the world.