Weak rand an opportunity for cotton industry reboot

“Until March 2020, the cotton industry was considered a success story in South African agriculture. Established in June 2014, the Sustainable Cotton Cluster (SCC) was funded by an initial grant of R200 million from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The SCC connects the entire cotton value chain (farmers, gins, yarn manufacturers, weavers and knitters, dyers, finishing plants and retailers) under one umbrella. In the six years it has been in operation, cotton production and processing have increased 800% and almost 50 000 jobs have been created or maintained in the cotton sector.

Then came the COVID-19 lockdown.

Harvesting and processing were allowed to continue, but exports were suspended, striking the first blow to the