The Hindu Business Line : A custom-made tour to learn China's cotton sector!

AFTER the manufacturing sector learnt a thing or two from China's thriving domestic industry, it now seems to be the turn of the agricultural sector to look to our neighbour across the wall for inspiration. This is the message one gets looking at the interest the cotton industry has shown in China's best practices.

And Orbit Tours and Trade Fairs, a Mumbai-based travel and tour company, plans to exploit this trend by offering custom-made packages that will offer desi visitors a closer look at how their Chinese counterparts work their farm lands.

Come September, Orbit Tours and Trade Fairs will kick off, what is perhaps, the first-ever professionally organised cotton study tour to China. Cotton growers, traders, processors, exporters, importers and trade associations will participate in the 10-day long tour. Indian visitors will get a first-hand experience of the latest cotton cultivation and production techniques that enable the Chinese produce superior quality, high-yielding cotton.

According to a technological mission for cotton study, the country's per hectare productivity is 303 kg as against China's 1,000 kg. This is despite the fact that both countries have the same soil and weather conditions.

"The delegates will also visit various cotton fields to update themselves on the recent developments in cotton growing and picking methods and meet with ginning and pressing machinery suppliers, cotton seed suppliers, traders, and processors," said Mr Rupen Vikamsey, Business Development Manager for Orbit. Also on cards are visits to the country's modern textile mills, ginning and pressing units for exchange of information.

The cotton study tour also includes a visit to the Cotton Agricultural Institute & Research in Anyang, Henan Province of China.With over two months to go for tour , Mr Vikamsey said over 250 bookings had already been confirmed from farmers and trade associations in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. At least two large mills, Super Spinning Mills and Lakshmi Mills have signed up for the tour, says Mr Neeraj Singh Dev, All India Sales & Marketing Head, Orbit.

He said the East India Cotton Association, the Coimbatore Cotton Association and Andhra Pradesh Cotton Association, have sent circulars to their members about the tour..