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Better Cotton in Brazil (ABR)

Brazil is one of the world’s largest cotton producers, with primarily large, mechanised farms. Cotton production here is thriving.

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Licensed Farmers
1,0,553
Tonnes of Better Cotton
1,300,564
Hectares Harvested

These figures are from the 2021/22 cotton season. To find out more, read our latest annual report.

Brazil is one of the world’s largest cotton producers. The volume of cotton grown is increasing, both due to productivity and good conditions for growing cotton in different regions.

With Brazil also sourcing a lot of cotton fibre, it is an important country, as we aim to support both the supply of more sustainable cotton and encourage more buyers to purchase Better Cotton.

Better Cotton Partner in Brazil

The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Algodão (ABRAPA) became a Better Cotton Programme Partner in 2010. Together, we built a strong working relationship, and in 2014, ABRAPA became a Strategic Partner after completing a thorough benchmarking process that aligned ABRAPA’s own sustainable cotton programme, the Algodão Brasileira Responsável (or ABR programme), with the Better Cotton Standard. This means that cotton farmers growing cotton in a way that respects the ABR programme can sell their cotton as Better Cotton.

We joined the ABR and Better Cotton programmes as we wanted to follow the social, environmental and economic best practices championed by the two Standards. Over the years, we have focused on continuously improving our processes, from soil preparation to harvesting. We’ve made better use of available resources and technology and placed a greater focus on long-term sustainability.

Pakistan is a Better Cotton Standard Country

Countries where the Better Cotton Standard System is directly implemented by BCI’s on-the-ground Implementing Partners.
Countries that have their own robust sustainable cotton standards in place, which have been benchmarked against the Better Cotton Standard and identified as equivalent.

Sustainability challenges

In a tropical climate with intense pest pressure, Brazilian farmers face a real challenge in reducing their use of pesticides to protect their crops, including highly hazardous pesticides. The boll weevil pest presents a particular threat to producing healthy cotton crops. Working with ABRAPA, we’re doing everything we can to help farmers use the latest best practices to manage pests, including by reducing the need for harsh chemicals. We also support farmers in taking action to help protect workers’ rights. Over the past few years, as the Brazilian government has introduced more stringent labour rights regulations, ABRAPA has modified its own sustainable cotton standard to reflect the legal updates.

Carlos Alberto Moresco, an ABRAPA and Better Cotton producer talks about sustainable farming practices

Find out more about the outcomes farmers are experiencing by participating in the Better Cotton programme in our latest Impact Report.

Get in touch

Contact our team via the contact form if you’d like to learn more, become a partner or you’re a farmer interested in farming Better Cotton.