There is scant information on the economic, social and environmental values of consequences of policies on diversion rates and various scenarios.

In some major producing countries, up to half of the returns to cotton farmers come from government subsidies.

Cotton prices vary for all sorts of reasons including seasonal conditions in major producing countries, exchange rate changes, world economic conditions and of course government subsidies and market distortions.

In March 1995 the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) asked the Centre for International Economics to prepare a report on the cotton industry and its economic impact.