Australia has identified the potential for new dams, which could significantly boost the viability of irrigated cropping industries such as cotton. The Australian cotton industry produces about 9,00,000 metric tons of cotton a year, with almost 100 per cent of this exported. Northern Australian farmers are looking to move into growing higher value irrigated crops like cotton.

The Australian cotton industry has for a long time invested in R&D in northern Australia with the aim of expanding where cotton can be successfully and viably grown. Cotton not only produces high-quality fiber that is in demand globally, but for every ton of fiber there is more than a ton of cotton seed produced, which is a highly valued cattle feed in northern Australia.

Potential growth areas for fiber and food production in Australia’s north have been identified. There are more than 1200 cotton farms in Australia. In an average year, Australia’s cotton growers produce enough cotton to clothe 500 million people. The major buyers of Australian cotton are China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Bangladesh and Japan.

The cotton industry in Australia employs 15 times as many people as grazing does. Australian irrigated lint yields are now the highest of any major cotton producing country in the world.