- Title: TOGO: African cotton producers aim for 5 million-tonnes in output by 2022
- Date: 22nd March 2013
- Summary: LOME, TOGO (MARCH 21, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CONFERENCE ROOM/ BANNER IN BACKGROUND READING: 5 MILLION TONNES OF COTTON FIBER OF HIGH QUALITY BY 2022; NEW CHALLENGE FOR ACA (AFRICAN COTTON ASSOCIATION) (SOUNDBITE) (French) MOHAMED IYA, PRESIDENT OF AFRICAN COTTON ASSOCIATION (ACA) SAYING: "Despite the socio-economic importance that cotton has on the African continent, the industry has been through a tough period lately, with the biggest indicator being the collapse of cotton production, which as a consequence also affected the incomes of cotton farmers and led to the collapse of many collectives, which are now struggling to recover." VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS AT CONFERENCE CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (French) BASHIR DIOP, COTTON EXPERT FROM SENEGAL SAYING: "The cotton industry in Africa is picking up again. The industry went through some difficulties in recent years, especially with the economic crisis, which led to a drop in cotton prices across the world. But 2010 saw a rise in Africa cotton prices, and the sector is slowly recovering. Cotton farmers are back in their fields with satisfying revenues, and production has made huge progress everywhere and it will continue in that manner." NOTSE, TOGO ( MARCH 19, 2013) ( REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COTTON FARMER PRENAM ABALO WORKING IN THE FIELD (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRENAM ABALO, COTTON PRODUCER SAYING: "We have problems with a lack of space where we can stock our cotton, so we are often forced to keep in the field, where it's exposed to all the elements. As a result, we lose a lot of our cotton due to bad weather." VARIOUS OF WOMEN COMING TO CARRYING BASKETS CONTAINING COTTON ON THEIR HEADS VARIOUS OF WOMEN BRINGING COTTON TO THE MARKET VARIOUS OF COTTON BEING LAUDED IN TRUCK VARIOUS OF ESSO KPANKPAN, COTTON FARMER ARRANGING COTTON (SOUNDBITE) (French) ESSO KPANKPAN, COTTON FARMER SAYING: "This year, cotton production is slightly better and it still has a long way to go. At the moment, cotton farmers are happy with the production. A few years ago, many farmers had abandoned the industry, because they were not making any money. But this year, they have come back in big numbers." BOBO DIOULASSO, BURKINA FASO (FILE - 2009) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COTTON FACTORY
- Embargoed: 6th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Burkina Faso
- Country: Burkina Faso
- Topics: Business,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA5LI4NE41X5UJYN7PI970TOT1D
- Story Text: Africa's cotton production may quadruple by the year 2022, from the current 1.5 million tonnes to 5 million tonnes, according to industry players from more than 20 African and Western countries meeting in Lome, Togo.
The two day meeting organised by the African Association of Cotton (ACA), which began on Thursday (March 21) is aimed at examining the socio-political and economic factors that affect the cotton industry, which has struggled in the last few years as a decline in world prices forced farmers across the continent to abandon the crop.
Experts say the industry is slowly picking up again in Africa, mainly due to some countries applying new farming methods and an increasing number of farmers turning to cotton, especially in West Africa.
However, production is still affected by a lack of agricultural technology and stiff competition from subsidised growers in places like the United States.
"Despite the socio-economic importance that cotton has on the African continent, the industry has been through a tough period lately, with the biggest indicator being the collapse of cotton production, which as a consequence also affected the incomes of cotton farmers and led to the collapse of many collectives, which are now struggling to recover," said Mohamed Iya, president of ACA.
According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), an estimated 20 million people, many of them subsistence farmers depend on cotton in West and central African countries.
Experts say cotton farmers on the continent can play a more competitive role on the world market by increasing output and producing better quality cotton.
"The cotton industry in Africa is picking up again. The industry went through some difficulties in recent years, especially with the economic crisis, which led to a drop in cotton prices across the world. But 2010 saw a rise in Africa cotton prices, and the sector is slowly recovering. Cotton farmers are back in their fields with satisfying revenues, and production has made huge progress everywhere and it will continue in that manner," said Senegalese cotton expert, Bashir Diop.
In Togo, cotton producers face various challenges on the ground, including lack of infrastructure and poor preparedness for the effects of bad weather.
"We have problems with a lack of space where we can stock our cotton, so we are often forced to keep in the field, where it's exposed to all the elements. As a result, we lose a lot of our cotton due to bad weather," said Prenam Abalo, a cotton producer.
Togo produced 100,000 tonnes of cotton during the 2012-13 growing season, up from 79,000 the previous year.
According to the NSTC, the firm that oversees the industry in the West African state, cotton output could reach 150,000 tonnes within the next five years due to growing popularity of cotton production as a source of livelihood and returning confidence in the sector.
"This year, cotton production is slightly better and it still has a long way to go. At the moment, cotton farmers are happy with the production. A few years ago, many farmers had abandoned the industry, because they were not making any money. But this year, they have come back in big numbers," said cotton farmer Esso Kpankpan.
The NSTC also attributes the increase in output to more land being allocated to cotton farming, with about 110,000 hectares in 2012, compared to 100,000 hectares the previous year.
Burkina Faso is the largest cotton producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Mali. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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