Natural Fibres and the World
Economy
ICNF 2015
Azores
27-29 April 2015
Terry Townsend
Vice Chair DNFI
World Natural Fiber Prod. 2013
Coir
3%
Wool
3%
Other
5%
Jute
10%
Cotton
79%
33 Million
Tons
Farm Value of Production: 2013
Coir
$0.4
Jute
$1.5
US$ 60
Billion
Other
$2.9
Wool
$8.5
Cotton
$45
Average Farm Price: 2013
US$/Kg.
Wool, clean
Silk, raw
Kapok
Cotton, lint
Abaca
Ramie
Sisal
Jute
$7.3
$4.4
$3.4
$1.7
$1.6
$1.5
$1.3
$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
Jute
Wool
Coir & Bast
Silk
Ramie
Sisal
Other
Total
45
6
5
1
0.3
0.1
0.1
0.5
60
Millions
World Cotton Households, 000s
75
9
250 450 30,000
230
9,000
1,400
80
1,800
1
World Cotton Industry
Production, 000 tons,left scale
Households, millions, right scale
100s Kgs/Household, right scale
8,000
100
6,000
80
60
4,000
40
2,000
20
0
0
Australia
China
Africa
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
Production, 000 tons,left scale
Households, millions, right scale
000 Kg/Household, right scale
500
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
400
300
200
100
0
Aust., NZ &
S. Afr.
UK &
Similar
USA &
Similar
Natural Fibre Industries
Production, 000 tons,left
scale
1000
1,000
800
800
600
600
400
400
200
200
0
0
Sisal Flax Hemp Silk
Coir Other
WORLD FIBER PRODUCTION
Million tons
50
40
Non-Cellulosic
30
20
Cotton
10
0
1960
Wool
1970
1980
1990
Cellulosic
2000
2010
WORLD FIBER PRICES
$ per Kg.
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
1960
Cotton
1970
1980
Polyester
1990
2000
2010