Experience on the production of colored cotton fiber by two cooperatives in the Paraiba State, Brazil

Abstract

The production of white cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., the white fiber in the small farmer plots at the northeast of Brazil, does not generate an adequate economic rentability. A possibility emerges to insert in the seed programs of Embrapa SNT (Businesses and Transference of Technology Service), to sow the cultivar Brown 200 of color fiber, obtained in the Embrapa SNT programs, which besides offering sustenance to the producers, and generates profits in economic rentability and environment, when eliminating industrial coloring process necessary for white color fiber. The results of the preliminary study done by Embrapa SNT are presented in which 100 ha were sown with the indicated cultivar, during the year 2000, together with fitty families of Catolé do Rocha-PB and Itaporanga-PB cooperatives. It was found that the appropriation and implementation of social technology in the production of non-organic cotton for their producer was positive. In the paperwork, the productive process is related extensively. To obtain average yields that will permit the maintenance, it is necessary that the producers posses the following easiness: to produce in the recommended areas, to sow areas smaller or equal to two hectares to facilitate insects control and the community have the capacity to process their cotton seeds with small ginning machines to avoid the mediating. The production of 62 000 kg of seeds was obtained with the appropriation and the validation of technology by the producers due to their interaction with the researcher and technologist transfers.