Amsterdam and Lahore, November 20, 2025 – The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) today hosted its national stakeholder event in Pakistan on November 20, 2025 in Lahore and online. The gathering is part of OCA’s series of regional stakeholder events held across its programme countries, convening partners across the value chain to connect with regional realities, foster collaboration, and align priorities to grow organic cotton globally.
“We’re grateful to our local partners for welcoming us and for their commitment to organic cotton, said Bart Vollaard, OCA’s Executive Director. “Collaboration like this sits at the heart of OCA’s mission. By bringing farmers, industry, policymakers, researchers and civil society together, we can strengthen local markets, create more opportunities for rural communities, and ensure Pakistan’s organic cotton earns the recognition it deserves.”
Growing momentum in Pakistan
Pakistan presents significant untapped potential for organic cotton: the right climate, arable land, and a strong textile industry seeking sustainable supply-chain solutions.
OCA began its work in Pakistan in 2022 and in the 2025-2026 season it’s porjected it will support over 10,000 organic cotton farmers. These farmers cultivate cotton across almost 60,000 hectares of land in Baluchistan, Punjab and Sindh, producing approximately 16,000 metric tonnes of lint cotton. This projected growth, despite ongoing challenges, has been made possible thanks to the commitment of OCA’s Contributors, including leading brands and local partners.
″“In Pakistan, the transition to organic cotton is not just a shift in farming methods, it is a pathway to greater stability for farming communities. Our focus is on building a supply chain where farmers are supported, information is openly shared, and all partners work side by side. This collaborative approach is essential for delivering long-term resilience and ensuring Pakistan’s organic cotton sector continues to grow.” ″
Supporting farmers on the ground
OCA works closely with local Implementing Partners to provide farmers with access to non-genetically modified seed, agronomic and financial training, and reliable market linkages. The introduction of digital tools has improved data collection and transparency, helping partners make better-informed decisions. In parallel, OCA focused on strengthening laboratory testing to ensure organic integrity, on rolling out an adapted version of the Organic Cotton Training Curriculum, and on amplifying farmer voices through ongoing workshops and community engagement.
As Pakistan continues to face recurring floods and other climate-related shocks, OCA’s work supports farmers in adopting practices that improve soil health, reduce their dependency on synthetic inputs, and increase long-term resilience.
Shaping the national conversation on organic cotton
The event in Lahore centered on three priority areas for organic cotton: policy, financing, and market development. Discussions explored how enabling policies can support farmers’ transition to organic cultivation, how challenges can be addressed collectively, how investment and accountability mechanisms can strengthen value chain transparency, and how stronger market linkages can secure long-term demand for organic cotton.
By bringing together diverse perspectives from government, industry, farmers, and finance, the event helped define what it takes to scale organic cotton sustainably in Pakistan, while highlighting the importance of farmer resilience and responsible market growth.
This event was made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: Platinum- Soorty Enterprises and Tti Sustainability Center; Gold- Artistic Milliners, Control Union Pakistan and MG Apparel.
From our Platinum Sponsors
Soorty
“At Soorty, we believe that the future of sustainable cotton begins with fairness, integrity, and opportunity for farmers. Our collaboration with OCA has helped bring global standards to local realities, from seed purity to responsible practices on the ground. Sponsoring OCA’s first Stakeholder Event in Pakistan is not only an honour but a reflection of our commitment to building a strong, credible, and inclusive organic cotton value chain for our country.” – Asad Soorty Director, Soorty Enterprises
Tti Testing Laboratories
“Working closely with OCA and its dedicated team has reaffirmed our shared commitment to strengthening the organic cotton ecosystem in Pakistan. This event was a powerful demonstration of how serious and responsible stakeholders can come together with one purpose — empowering farmers, advancing supply chain transparency, and building a future where organic cotton is truly traceable from farm to finished product. As Pakistan’s most diversified ISO 17025 testing and technical services laboratory, Tti Testing Laboratories is proud to stand with OCA as a Platinum Sponsor. We remain fully committed to contributing our scientific expertise, integrity systems, and national role toward shaping a more credible, responsible, and globally competitive cotton industry for Pakistan.” – Hamed K. Lateef CEO, Tti Testing Laboratories
