In co-operation with FiBL, the leading Swiss research institute in the field of organic farming, and the University of Dharwad, the bioRe Association is conducting a seeds-research project for a period of several years.
The project is aimed at identifying the most suitable cotton seeds available for yet better organic farming. The reason for starting our own project for organic seeds is that in the past few years in India the genetically modified seeds have entered the market and seeds for organic agriculture were not developed further.
In its second year, this project investigates seeds in different soil conditions, assessing the suitability of numerous types of seeds for organic farming by small farmers in the bioRe territory in India.
For new seeds to be used in future, they must meet requirements for plant properties, yield and pest infestation as well as fibre length and micronair. Farmers visit the trial fields and are invited to participate in the evaluation process.
The project is expected to provide results in the summer of 2014. It is not until then that a conclusive assessment of the three types of seeds can be performed.
Under the hallmark of the bioRe quality label, Remei AG, a Swiss trading company, has turned a vision into reality. The vision is to manufacture fashionable textiles from fair-trade organic cotton in a controlled and transparent chain of production.
