Export program awards $890,000 to cotton industry groups

The Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) and Cotton Australia have been awarded a $890,000 Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant.

According to a statement from agriculture minister Murray Watt, the “Taking Australian Cotton to the World – Realising the Opportunity” project will deliver “targeted engagement, education, and communication activities” and help “enable cotton growers to broaden the network of supply chain partners and customers.”

ACSA Chairman Matthew Bradd said Australia had about 1,500 cotton farms and supported thousands of jobs.

“Building on ATMAC and industry success to date the latest grant will enable ACSA to fully realise the opportunities created and drive further demand for Australian cotton in new and emerging markets,” said Bradd

“This will ensure Australian cotton remains not only competitive on the world market but seen as the fibre-of-choice for an increasing number of supply chain partners.”

“ATMAC funding has already helped industry generate significant demand for Australian cotton and to export a record crop of 5.6 million bales,” added Watt.

“We continue to work with the agriculture industry to reach its goal of $100 billion in farmgate value by 2030.”

Grants under the ATMAC program closed in February.

According to the department’s website, it awarded $26.5 million over 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 from projects “to expand and diversify trade in Australia’s agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors into emerging export markets and/or export markets with high-growth potential.” 

Picture: Cotton Australia