Legal and technical aspects of cottonseed production

Abstract

Cotton is a very soft vegetable fiber textile plant native to tropical and subtropical areas, it belongs to the Malvacea family of the Gossypium genus, which comprises more than 50 species, its economic importance lies in the multiple uses it has at an industrial level. In Venezuela, the main use of this crop is for two large agro-industrial sectors: textiles and food. The fiber is used for the production of yarns and fabrics, while the seed (without reproductive purposes), is used to obtain edible oils and residual husk, as a protein ingredient in mixtures for the production of concentrated animal feed.

On the other hand, in any crop, the production of seed is an activity that leads to an orderly and systematic execution of a series of steps, which aim to capture the quality components in the different stages of production, therefore, it is required carry out adequate agronomic management, according to a technological reference and must comply with the legal framework. In Venezuela, cotton seed production, like other crops, is regulated by the regulations and minimum quality requirements contemplated in the recently approved Seed Law (2015), conducted under the National Seed Commission (CONASEM), as the only official organ in Venezuela in matters of seed.

Therefore, the production of high quality cotton seed is a challenge for the seed sector in Venezuela, given that in the country there are favorable edapho-climatic conditions for its production, in addition to the existing demand due to the multiple uses of said seed. culture. That is why this article is intended to present in a synthesized way the technical aspects and legal foundations that govern the production of quality cotton seed, under the official certification system.