Analysis of cost minimization of cotton cleaning in a systems framework

By employing survey, regression, and simulation techniques, this research identifies the least cost cleaning configurations across the harvesting, ginning, and textile mill stages of cotton processing. Given the standard textile mill technology, the least cost cleaning configurations were found to include the use of a field cleaner in the harvesting stage and one lint cleaning in the ginning stage for the best and second best qualities of yarn. For the third best quality of yarn, the least cost cleaning configuration was found to not include the use of a field cleaner in the harvesting stage and one lint cleaning in the ginning stage. It was determined that if the recommended cleaning configurations are employed, the cotton industry could save between $0.30 and $0.60 per bale of cotton, depending on the desired yarn quality.

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