2024-08-27 22:46:45
This is a trend that takes land and which can become worrying for the cotton sector in West Africa: more and more areas are abandoned in favor of soya, cashew nuts or even peanuts, according to the countries -language. Repeat from 06-26-2024.
To understand what is happening in the cotton sector, you have to go there Smallin Togo, in Senegal and especially in the Ivory Coast. This is where the pressure is most evident on the cotton fields.
In Benin and Togo, there has been competition from soy for two or three years, according to the Association of African Cotton Producers (AProCA). In Senegal, peanuts have been tempting cotton farmers for more than 5 years: in addition to the pods, the tops, that is to say the leaves, are an important source of income.
In Ivory Coast, it is corn but also cashew nuts that are favored by farmers. Trees planted in cotton fields to take advantage of the fertilizer, until they cover the crops and take », Witness the player in the complex.
Pain culture
« Cotton farming is more difficult than others and this weighs on producers whose average age is increasing. », explained N’Diamoi Kodjane, agricultural engineer, cotton consultant and member of the Steering Committee of the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA).
Lack of profit also plays a role : attempts at the price of inputs, and the attack of jassids – insect pests – last year led to a decrease in yields in many West African countries.
Cotton has also been hurt in recent years by the often better prices offered for other crops.
Effect on surface areas
This tendency to continue to grow cotton is shown by the stagnation of regions, or even decline in many countries. Developments are often multifactorial, but according to figures from the last AProCA meeting last May, Côte d’Ivoire went from 475,684 ha of cotton to 392,696 ha in two years, the Senegal from 18,572 ha to 15,453 ha.
If for the time being we are talking about landfills here and there, cotton groups are watching the event closely. Thus, the subject was put on the agenda of the mass meeting of the African Cotton Association held in May in Abidjan.
Mali and Burkina Faso
The evolution of cotton communities will depend a lot on what the crop will bring to the producers. Countries have understood this well. Most of them have raised the purchase price per kilo significantly. This is the case Togoand Senegal in particular.
There are two major cotton producing countries in Africa which are exceptions for the time being in this landscape Mali and the Burkina Faso : soya has made its entrance, but not yet in the areas dedicated to white gold, assures Youssouf Djimé Sidibe, permanent secretary of AProCA.
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