The 83rd Plenary Meeting: Reports from the ICAC Secretariat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date Posted: March 24, 2026

Bremen, Germany - Every year, one of the most anticipated sessions at the International Cotton Advisory Committee's (ICAC) Plenary Meeting is the Reports from the Secretariat - and the 83^rd edition in Bremen, Germany, did not disappoint.

The session began with a presentation by Ms Parkhi Vats, ICAC Economic Affairs Officer, who provided a world cotton market outlook. She gave early projections on world production and consumption as well as import and export figures; provided an overview of recent trade deals and tariff negotiations; and offered comprehensive data on identity and specialty cottons, including long- and extra-long staple varieties.

Economist Ms Lorena Ruiz delivered a presentation on World Textile Fiber Demand as well as the Results of the ICAC Global Survey on Women in the Cotton Sector. Global textile fiber demand continues to grow in line with GDP and population, but this growth is largely driven by polyester, particularly in China. Geopolitical tensions and expensive energy are increasing production and trade costs. Strengthening cotton's position will require productivity gains and clearer communication of sustainability efforts, with ICAC providing support through data and coordination. The 2024 ICAC survey on women in the cotton sector indicates that, despite existing labor policies, women remain underrepresented in leadership and concentrated in manual roles, with barriers such as limited access to resources and training requiring more systemic action.

Head of Textiles Mr Kanwar Usman delivered a presentation on "Textiles Strategy: Developing the Textiles Value Chain in Cotton-Rich Countries." He focused on the investment required for various types of textiles facilities - spinning, weaving, processing, and garments - as well as the expected daily output of each, in metric tonnes.

Chief Scientist Dr Keshav Kranthi discussed the "Global Economics of Cotton Production," highlighting the impressive capabilities of the ICAC's Production Data Portal, including cost of production, fertilizer and pesticide use, cotton varieties, pest distribution, and much more (and all of it available free of charge). He also provided an overview of the massive, 872-page 2025 Cotton Data Book, which analyzes the sustainability of cotton production in 38 countries.

The final speaker was Director of Communications Mike McCue, who gave an overview of the ICAC's Efforts on Cotton Promotion. He discussed the organization's activity on social media platforms - including the popular #TruthTuesday posts - the extensive support the ICAC provides for the global World Cotton Day activities held every October 7, and the need for industry stakeholders to collaborate to raise cotton's visibility and reputation.

All of their individual presentations can be found here.

The ICAC's 83rd Plenary Meeting is scheduled for March 23-24, 2026, in Bremen, Germany. Held just before the International Cotton Conference Bremen, the theme of the Plenary is, "Uniting the Cotton and Textiles Value Chain for a Sustainable Future," reflecting the ICAC's mandate as the only international organization responsible for cotton - from the seed to the end-of-life for cotton products, and everything in-between.

About the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming and trading countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping member countries maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international significance. In addition, members can take advantage of the ICAC's global network of cotton researchers, whose expertise covers the supply chain from farm to textile manufacturing, and have free access to its cutting-edge technologies like the voice-based app and virtual technology cotton training program. Committed to ensuring cotton's continued sustainability, the ICAC is the only intergovernmental commodity body covering cotton that is recognized by the United Nations. For more information, please visit www.icac.org, Twitter or LinkedIn