The harvesting of 100% Italian cotton is kicking off thanks to the rediscovery of a natural fiber that between Puglia and Sicily involves more than 300 hectares thanks to a rediscovery of cultivation by the fashion world, which increasingly seeks domestic fabrics for its creations. This is what emerges from Coldiretti's report "2023, the return of Italian cotton". With the harvest starting late due to rainy patterns in June and persistent heat until the first half of October, Italian cotton 2023 is of excellent quality, even for the new medium fiber variety, with a production of more than 35 quintals per hectare, with quotations of 140 euros per quintal if organic and 110 euros per quintal if traditional. Cultivation costs between 800 and 1,200 euros per hectare for seed purchase, fertilization, irrigation, labor, diesel for machinery and harvesting. Cotton is also an excellent renewal crop, allowing rotations to be expanded with cash crops, meeting a key need, particularly for organic farming.
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