Cotton grown without the use of any synthetically compounded chemicals (ie. pesticides, growth regulators, defoliants, etc.) and fertilizers is considered as 'organic' cotton. But it cannot be claimed as organic unless it is certified as organic.
Organic production can be defined in many ways but organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.
The Technical Information Section of the ICAC has published a number of reports on organic production and also tried to keep track of organic cotton production by country.
The ICAC papers and reports on organic cotton are given here.
