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Access the industry report on Cotton, information includes: the industry at a glance, industry performance and outlook, products and markets and key statistics.

"The cotton industry is having a long, hard look at itself. Growers have copped a hammering on social media in recent times over how much water they take in the northern Murray-Darling Basin, and what part the industry may have played in the Darling River fish kills. There is evidence, generated by the industry, that it has a poor public image. Cotton Australia commissioned a wide-ranging survey by JP Morgan that found most urban Australians had negative perceptions about the industry ... "

"More than 1000 growers planted 452,000 hectares of cotton across Australia's cotton growing regions this season. With more than 95 per cent of the crop planted to Monsanto's Bollgard 3 varieties, growers have embraced the flexibility the technology gives to the industry."

"Cotton Australia is the peak body for Australia’s cotton growers, representing cotton businesses and about 1,200 cotton farming families mainly in NSW and Queensland and also in WA and Victoria ... "

"Cotton (genus Gossypium) is grown within the tropical and subtropical regions of the world in areas that have adequate amounts of sunshine and fertile soil. In general, areas that receive 600 to 1,200 millimeters of rainfall annually are best suited for cotton production because the plant requires a large amount of water in order to grow well. However, dryland cotton farming occurs in areas with lower rainfall totals with the help of irrigation ... "

Access the industry report on Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing in Australia. Information includes: the industry at a glance, industry performance and outlook, products and markets and key statistics.

"At least 2,000 years ago, people in the Americas began cultivating the cocoa tree for its dark, bitter beans, which they brewed into a drink spiced with hot peppers. Today, we blend the beans with milk and sugar and call the stuff chocolate. And we eat loads of it ... "

"Chocolate is a food product made from the seeds or beans of the cacao tree. It has been used as a food since at least the time of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. The seeds are roasted, ground, and combined with other substances before being made into one of several forms. Chocolate can be used in powder, liquid, and solid forms that can be used for a variety of culinary purposes; it is often sweetened to create candy ... "

"Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing their rights of, disadvantaged producers and workers - especially in the South (FINE, 2001) ... "