Egypt is devising a strategy to upgrade its cotton industry. The project aims at increasing the added value of Egypt’s long and extra-long staple cotton, improving the performance of cotton farmers and producers, and maximizing the role of institutions supporting cotton production.

The project will be implemented over two years and will include building the capacity of 400 cotton farmers and 15 private companies in the textile business, improving the skills of 300 workers and offering training programs for 300 technical students.

The textile industry in Egypt contributes three per cent to Gross Domestic Product and employs nearly a third of Egypt’s workforce. Textile exports account for 15 per cent of Egypt’s non-oil exports. But while Egyptian cotton is prized for its premium extra-long staple fiber, production and exports have been on the decline. Textile and apparel imports into the US from Egypt for the first five months of the year fell 14.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

The development comes as Africa gets renewed attention as a textile and apparel sourcing region after years of what the industry saw as untapped potential and the 2015 renewal of the African Growth & Opportunity Act the US trade preference program.