Better Cotton Initiative may open its office in Uzbekistan

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), an international non-profit organization, may in the long term open its office in Uzbekistan. Oksana Varodi, representative of the International Finance Corporation, said this during an international textile conference in Tashkent. 

“In 2017, the implementation of the Sustainable Cotton Standard System based on the BCI principles began in Uzbekistan. As part of the program, the country started introducing new practices and technologies for growing cotton that meets the international standards,” Varodi said. 

She has added that the Project is partnering with Indorama Agro on implementing and testing the Sustainable Cotton Standard System based on BCI’s principles in the cluster and contract farming models in Uzbekistan. Should the 2019 testing be successful and, if the other BCI requirements for a new country start-up process would be met, the Project will prepare and submit a Better Cotton Start-Up Plan to BCI Management Team for approval.

According to her, complete transparency of cultivation and production are among the main conditions for BCI to enter Uzbekistan.