Govt concerned about infected U.S. cotton<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government has expressed its
\nconcern with infected cotton fiber imported from Yuma and
\nImperial Valley in California, the United States, which supplies
\nalmost 45 percent of the 2.1 million bales used every year in the
\nIndonesian textile industry, industry sources said here last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
The sources said Minister of Trade and Industry Tunky
\nAriwibowo sent a letter last week to American Secretary of
\nAgriculture Dan Glickman asking for his cooperation in resolving
\nthe problem before it affects Indonesian textile companies.<\/p>\n
An Indonesian Textile Association executive said Tunky's
\nintervention into the issue was prompted by repeated complaints
\nfrom PT Argo Manunggal International, which reported that the
\ncotton fiber it received from Calcot Ltd. in California between
\nlast October and December had been infected by cavitoma fungus.<\/p>\n
\"The complaint is supported by a laboratory test done by the
\nJapan Spinners Inspecting Foundation in Osaka but Calcot Ltd. has
\nnot responded positively,\" an executive of the Argo Manunggal
\ngroup confirmed on Friday.<\/p>\n
He disclosed that Argo Manunggal first raised the issue in
\nJanuary after discovering that cotton fiber from the October-
\nDecember shipments (20,545 bales) produced an excess of waste due
\nto lower fiber strength and lower-quality yarns.<\/p>\n
Records show that Argo Manunggal also brought up the issue
\nwith the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the
\nSingapore office of Cotton Inc.-- the Southeast Asian
\nrepresentative of U.S. cotton suppliers -- the American Cotton
\nShippers Association and Cotton Council International in
\nWashington.<\/p>\n
However, Husein Aminuddin -- the Indonesian associate director
\nof the Liverpool Cotton Association Ltd., the Britain-based
\narbitration body for cotton trade disputes -- rejected the
\ncomplaint as groundless.<\/p>\n
\"A plant check done by a technician from the Singapore office
\nof Cotton Inc. did not find any cavitoma fungus in the cotton
\nconsignment from Calcot Ltd.,\" added Aminuddin, who is also the
\nchairman of the Sekbertal Spinners Association.<\/p>\n
Moreover, Aminuddin contended, no other importers, except Argo
\nManunggal, had complained of cavitoma infection.<\/p>\n
\"They should have brought the commercial dispute with Calcot
\nLtd. to the Liverpool Cotton Association Ltd. of which I am an
\nassociate director,\" Aminuddin added.<\/p>\n
Argo Manunggal, however, argued in its complaint that it would
\nresolve the dispute through one of the arbitration bodies for
\ncotton trade disputes.<\/p>\n
\"However, since the issue is related to disease infection the
\nproblem should be brought to the attention of the Indonesian and
\nAmerican governments,\" the Argo Manunggal executive argued.<\/p>\n
Different interpretations of the cavitoma fungus seem partly
\nresponsible for the dragging negotiations between Argo Manunggal
\nand Calcot Ltd.<\/p>\n
Calcot executive John Burch, who visited the Argo Manunggal
\nmills in Bekasi and Tangerang in March, said that the infected
\ncotton fiber was a severe problem.<\/p>\n
The American Cotton Shippers Association also acknowledged
\nthat Arizona has occasional problems with cavitoma fungus, which
\nis difficult to detect.<\/p>\n
Even Cotton Inc. indirectly admitted to the problem in
\nJanuary, when it sent detailed technical directives to Argo
\nManunggal on how to handle and process cavitoma-infected cotton
\nfiber.<\/p>\n
Calcot executives acknowledged that the cotton fiber it
\nshipped in the last quarter of 1995 was infected with
\ncavitoma infection. They made the admission during their mid-
\nMarch negotiations with Argo Manunggal in Bakersfield,
\nCalifornia, which were also attended by Indonesian Agricultural
\nAttache P. Natigor Siagian from Washington.<\/p>\n
However, Rick Yoshimitsu of the USDA's export certification
\ndepartment responded to Argo Manunggal's complaint by saying that
\ncavitoma is a condition and not a disease organism. Therefore, he
\nsaid, it is a quality issue and not phytosanitary one. (vin)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-concerned-about-infected-us-cotton-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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