Projection and prospects for cottonseed in the 1970’s

Oilseeds and their products, vegetable oils and oilcakes, are primary agricultural commodities on the world market. The current annual volume is ca. $3000 million and, with increasing world population and income, their production is expected to expand. Improved technology, which allows for substitution of oils from various sources in many products, has narrowed the price spread between different oils. If production increases as predicted, the price of vegetable oils may decline in the future. Oilcakes are used primarily for animal feed at present. Forecasts predict that consumption of oilcake should increase and prices remain stable. Since cottonseed is a byproduct of cotton fiber production, it does not readily respond to fluctuations in supply and demand. Two factors may significantly affect utilization patterns of cottonseed protein in the future. First is development of the liquid cyclone process for production of food‐grade protein flour from conventional cottonseed. Second is development of commercially acceptable varieties of glandless cotton, the seed of which can be processed into food without special procedures. Exploitation of these developments could move significant amounts of cottonseed protein into food channels in both developed and lesser developed countries and alter use patterns for cottonseed.