Competitive pressures are nothing new to commodity markets. Orange juice must compete with processed fruit drinks, coffee and cocoa must compete with soft drinks, copper competes with fiber optic cables, sugar competes with corn-based sweeteners and,of course natural fibers compete with a plethora of chemical fibers. The keys to meeting competitive pressures facing the cotton industry are new technologies that reduce costs and raise productivity, the integration of commodity handling, processing andstorage systems to improve efficiency through elimination of unnecessary functions and organized programs of promotion to provide positive information about cotton to consumers. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) can assist in meeting competitive challenges by raising awareness of critical issues, providing information necessary for decision-making and facilitating cooperation.
展开▼
