International Cotton Advisory Committee

The fourteenth plenary meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee was held in Paris, France from June 20 through 25, 1955 under the chairmanship of Mr. Edouard J. Senn (France). Delegates from 30 member countries and observers from 18 countries and from 5 international organizations attended the meeting. Portugal announced its accession to the Committee effective July 1, 1955, bringing the total membership to 32 governments. The Committee heard reports from its officers, and a review of the world cotton situation and statements on the cotton situation in the various countries. Fifteen resolutions were adopted at the meeting, of which the first six related to the finances and organization of the Committee. In the other resolutions adopted the Commission inter alia: 1) provided for the continued publication of the Monthly Review and the Quarterly Statistical Bulletin, and authorized the Secretariat to publish a base book of cotton statistics as one issue of the Quarterly Statistical Bulletin; 2) stressed the importance of the statistics requested by it from member governments and asked members to review the availability of statistical information in their countries and to take steps to meet any deficiencies; 3) requested that, in addition to statistics already sent it by member governments on production, exports, imports, and prices of rayon and other synthetic fibers, there be added statistics on consumption, and in compiling such statistics, the Committee requested the Secretariat to make use of those already collected by other organizations;4) emphasized the importance of harsh short staple cotton to consuming countries, and requested that the attention of countries exporting this cotton be drawn to the desirability of increasing export availability and production wherever possible; 5) stressed the growing importance of laboratory testing of the fiber properties of commercial cottons, and requested the Secretariat to continue to maintain contacts with other organizations interested in fiber testing, while the standing committee was requested to consider what action, if any, the International Cotton Advisory Committee might appropriately take in this field; 6) requested the standing committee to examine the policies of governments in regard to the consumption of cotton and of competing fibers, and to submit a report on the matter to the fifteenth plenary meeting; and 7) paid tribute to Dr. Arthur W. Palmer, former General Secretary of the Committee and to Dr. Paolo N. Rogers, former vice- chairman of the Committee.