Cotton production consumption, markets

In addition to the various markets for cotton lint, there are also markets for cottonseed and its products [616]. Cottonseed represents about 15-20% of the total value of cotton. Vegetable oil for human consumption, whole cottonseed, meal, hulls for animal feed, and linters for batting and chemical cellulose are the major end uses for cottonseed [616]. 

The culture of cotton pesticide use has encouraged farmers to use pesticides on all crops, and particularly on the widely grown cowpea. Cowpea is largely cultivated by women, and is important for both domestic consumption, and as a source of cash from sales onto the local market. Cotton pesticides are widely used on this crop because of their ready availability. There are few outlets for pesticides in rural areas of Benin, and the input distribution system for cotton pesticides is one of the main sources of supply. Farmers explain that they cannot rely on supplies of the recommended products for cowpeas, and thus use the readily available cotton pesticides ... 

From 1960 to 1970, acrylic fiber consumption continued its rapid growth with a 19% increase in consumption worldwide, peaking at almost 2.1 billion pounds in 1970. Acrylics found wide use as a wool replacement fiber in carpets, home furnishings, and knitted apparel products. The world market share claimed by both acrylics and polyester increased sharply over this period primarily at the expense of wool and nylon. For acrylic, this increase was from about 14% of the world market in 1960 to approximately 23% in 1969. In the next decade, however, the growth rate decreased to around 8%. This was due primarily to the maturing of the wool replacement market in the United States. In addition, nylon became the dominant carpet fiber, reducing the acrylic market share from 25% at its peak to just 6% by 1976. Fibers and blends, such as polyester-cotton, also cut into the acrylic share of the synthetic fibers market. By 1980, the world market share held by nylon had fallen to approximately 30% from over 60% in 1960. Polyester now accounts for roughly 50% of the world market, while acrylics continue to hold approximately 20%. 

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