World Trade Organisation (WTO) hosted the first World Cotton Day (WCD) celebrations in Geneva, Switzerland.
This event stems from the request by the Cotton-4 countries to the UN General Assembly for official recognition of a World Cotton Day.
Cotton-4 Countries are
Benin
Burkina Faso
Chad
Mali
Such a day reflects the importance of cotton as a global commodity.
Objectives
WCD celebrates the many advantages of cotton, from its qualities as a natural fibre, to the benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption.
It sheds shed light on the challenges faced by cotton economies around the world.
Cotton is important to least developed, developing and developed economies worldwide.
Importance
A single tonne of cotton provides year-round employment for 5 people on average.
It is a drought - resistant crop ideal for arid climates.
It occupies just 2.1 per cent of the world’s arable land, yet it meets 27 per cent of the world’s textiles need.
India @ the Event
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani represented India in the five-day event.
National Awardee weaver Pitta Ramulu provided a demonstration of weaving by charkha.
Fabrics which have been given GI tag like Venkatagiri, Chanderi, Maheshwari and Ikkat sarees were displayed at the event along with organic cotton.
Natural coloured cotton grown in Dharwad, Karnataka in different colours like dark brown, medium brown, green and cream colours will also be on display.