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Quality Brazilian cotton is only grown in Bahia, Goiás and Mato Grosso, right? Wrong! In recent years, in the State of São Paulo, a group of producers has stood out by producing high quality cotton. And, to take advantage of the excellent moment of this commodity and further promote its cultivation, Cooperativa Agro Industrial Holambra has just launched the Ouro Branco project, which aims to expand the areas of this crop in the southwest of São Paulo.
According to the executive president of Cooperativa Holambra, Shandrus Hohne de Carvalho, through the project, there will be an expansion of cotton growing areas, strengthening production. “Today, Cooperativa Holambra already produces and processes one of the best, if not the best, cotton in Brazil. The quality of our fiber is export standard in terms of resistance, length and micronaire (maturity), in general, we are above export standards. This project arrives to confirm this trend and expand the possibilities for our members and partners”, he comments.
To give the project even more strength, several improvements are already being implemented at Cooperativa Holambra, according to Shandrus. “Structural investment in the plants, investment in employee qualifications, investment in equipment, improvements in processes resulting in operational efficiency, with production of over 1,300 bales/day of cotton lint. All this because our focus is to have the best cotton in Brazil, both in terms of quality and productivity”, he comments.
For rural producers, the project will provide support on several fronts, ranging from harvest partnerships, reducing the value of inputs and even a line of credit. “We identified the main pain points and saw many opportunities for cotton producers, which is why we structured a project that will help rural entrepreneurs to have even more success and financial returns from this cultivation”, explains the Logistics Manager at Cooperativa Holambra, Fernanda Langner .
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According to Fernanda, the project relies on all the expertise, infrastructure and well-established processes of Cooperativa Holambra, which range from harvesting to processing. But, above all, there is a key difference, the high quality of cotton from the cooperative, recognized by two of the largest classification laboratories in Brazil, Amipa, from Uberlândia (MG) and Agopa, from Goiânia (GO). “Intrinsic quality of export standard fiber (length, resistance and maturity), above-average plume yield, 150 arrobas per hectare, investment in technology for management and harvesting, application of inputs, boll weevil control – management. Ultimately, this will all benefit Ouro Branco in a decisive way”, he comments.
And anyone who thinks that only cooperative members will benefit from the Ouro Branco project is mistaken. Other rural producers in the region will also be able to become partners and use the Cooperativa Holambra processing plants, in the city of Paranapanema (SP), and in a second moment, sell the product, also through the cooperative. “The advantages for producers are countless. We are providing a historic opportunity for rural entrepreneurs to achieve extraordinary success with this culture”, concludes Fernanda.
Cooperativa Holambra also has a partnership with APPA – São Paulo Association of Cotton Producers – for certification of producers (ABR-BCI seal) and ABR-UBA mills, all with the support of ABRAPA – Brazilian Cotton Producers Association.
The project should encourage job creation in the region, as in previous years, the cotton harvest employed more than 100 temporary employees.
Source: Notícias Agrícolas
