Qualities and valuation of African Zone Franc (AZF) cotton fiber in international trade: Emergence of quality assurance in spinner-merchant-producer relationships and effect on valuation

Abstract

For several decades, while international cotton prices have been characterized by a "long-term" downward trend, international cotton fiber consumption has increased at an average annual rate very close to that of production. The major international cotton fiber exporting countries are, in order of importance, the United States, the African countries of the Franc Zone (AZF) and Uzbekistan. With the massive outsourcing of the textile industry to Asia, China has strengthened its influence over the world cotton industry, owing to its status as the leading producer, leading consumer and leading net importer of raw cotton. While cotton is of considerable economic and social importance for AZF producing countries, it does not prevent them from being among the poorest in the world; according to the Human Development Index (HDI). But, while cotton cultivation has enabled producing countries to make undeniable socio-economic progress, it poses many problems for them today. Thus, after having gone through various crises over the past decades, AZF's cotton production systems now find themselves confronted with a new crisis, that of the loss of value of their cottons and even of the "loss of the way to". their market ”. Prospecting and benchmarking with other cotton production systems, including Zimbabwe, Australia, US / FiberMax and US / Supima, which are proven models of success and sustainability in the sector, have identified challenges. to be noted for an improvement of AZF systems or for replication under certain operating conditions of said systems. The main challenges for AZF systems are: ensuring the environmental sustainability of production systems; give cottons their image in international trade; keep cotton fibers up to quality standards; reposition production on more profitable fiber niches; achieve efficient delivery of inputs to small producers; alternatively, develop an efficient mechanism for disbursement and recovery of seasonal credits; suppor