Natural Fibres and the World Economy

ICNF 2015

Azores

27-29 April 2015

Terry TownsendVice Chair DNFI

Cotton79%

Wool3%

Jute10%

Coir3% Other

5%

World Natural Fiber Prod. 2013

33 Million Tons

Cotton$45

Wool$8.5

Jute$1.5

Coir$0.4Other

$2.9

Farm Value of Production: 2013US$ 60 Billion

Average Farm Price: 2013US$/Kg.

Wool, clean $7.3Silk, raw $4.4Kapok $3.4Cotton, lint $1.7Abaca $1.6Ramie $1.5Sisal $1.3Jute $0.5

World Employment

Definitions Matter:

Households vs Farms vs People

Current or Former

Family Labor vs Paid Employment

Occasional Labor vs Livelihood

300 Million “Involved” in Natural Fiber production each year

Producing Households

Cotton 45Jute 6Wool 5Coir & Bast 1Silk 0.3Ramie 0.1Sisal 0.1Other 0.5Total 60

Millions

World Cotton Households, 000s

9

80

75

1,400

45030,000

9,000250

230

1,8001

World Cotton Industry

Australia China Africa0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

Production, 000 tons,left scale

Households, millions, right scale

World Cotton Employment

Segment Number Employees

Gins 9,000 400,000

Prs./Whs.* 3,000 30,000

Merchants 10,000 30,000

Spinners 6,000 3,000,000

Weavers 3,000 700,000

Knitters 7,000 1,700,000

6,000,000*Pressing factories and warehouses

World Cotton Value Chain, 2012

Jute: Ganges Delta

5 to 8 cm rainfall needed per week

25 million; 1/5 population of Bangladesh

World Wool Industry

0

100

200

300

400

500

020004000600080001000012000

Production, 000 tons,left scale

Households, millions, right scale

Natural Fibre Industries

Sisal Flax Hemp Silk Coir Other0

200

400

600

800

1000

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

Production, 000 tons,left scale

WORLD FIBER PRODUCTION

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

05,000

10,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,00050,000

Cotton

Non-Cellulosic

Wool Cellulosic

Million tons

WORLD FIBER PRICES

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400Cotton Polyester

$ per Kg.