World Cotton Day

Tags: Important Days

Every year 7 October is celebrated as 'World Cotton Day' across the world.

Important facts

• World Cotton Day is celebrated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the important role of the cotton sector in international trade, economic development and poverty alleviation.

• Cotton is considered a major source of livelihood and income for many rural laborers and stockholders, including women.

• It provides employment and income to some of the poorest rural areas around the world.

• The day promotes sustainable trade policies and enables developing countries to benefit from every stage of the cotton value chain.

• India is the second largest producer and largest consumer of cotton in the world.

Background of the day

• The initiative of World Cotton Day was started in 2019.

• The day originated when four cotton producers in sub-Saharan Africa—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali—known as the 'Cotton Four'—proposed to observe the day on 7 October every year in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

• The World Trade Organization hosted the launch of World Cotton Day on 7 October 2019 as an initiative of Cotton-4 countries.