A 14-member delegation from Burkina Faso visited Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Karur recently looking for better collaboration with the textile and garment industry.
The team, led by GIZ, was on a four-day visit organised by Gherzi Consultants along with 2M Invest Consult. Apart from visiting the factories, the members also went to the Southern India Textile Research Association and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Textile Management.
Burkina Faso produces about two lakh bales of cotton annually, covering all varieties except the extra long staple. And, almost 100% of the cotton produced is certified by international sustainable cotton certification programmes. It consumes locally only 2% of the cotton produced and the rest are exported. Of the exports, 10% is to India, said sources in Gherzi.
Some of the garment manufacturers and spinning mills in Tiruppur and Karur import cotton from Burkina Faso.
The aim of the visit was to give the delegation an exposure to the textile and garment clusters. The units in Burkina Faso are primarily cottage industries and they are looking at value addition of the cotton produced in that country. The delegation wanted to strengthen collaboration with the industry here to attract investments and promote business, the sources added.
The entrepreneurs here wanted details on the safety systems in place, skill development facilities for workers, and the benefits extended by the government.
A press release said GIZ implements projects on nutrition, safety and soil protection. It has also been active for many years in supporting the cotton sector in Burkina Faso. Gherzi and 2M Consulting have been providing technical assistance to Burkina Faso’s cotton sector under various GIZ projects that include the establishment of a textile incubator.
