Burkina Faso cotton output set to rise in 2025/2026 as Guinea moves to revive its sector

BURKINA FASO/GUINEA – Burkina Faso expects a strong increase in cotton production in the 2025/2026 season, marking a clear shift after several years of falling output, while Guinea has rolled out new measures to rebuild a sector that has struggled for more than two decades.

Seed cotton production in Burkina Faso should reach 336,812 tonnes in the 2025/2026 season, according to new estimates from the Regional Programme for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa. This figure represents a 15 percent rise from the previous season and reflects renewed momentum in one of West Africa’s key cotton producers.

The increase links mainly to expanded planting. Data from PR-PICA show that farmers planted cotton on 391,407 hectares, up by 13 percent, or about 44,629 hectares, compared to the last season. Yields are also expected to improve slightly, reaching an estimated 861 kilograms per hectare, a 2 percent increase.

PR-PICA associates the yield growth with better farming practices, especially improved use of fertilizers and crop protection products. If confirmed, the projected harvest would mark a turnaround for Burkina Faso’s cotton sector, which had recorded three consecutive years of decline.

Production fell from almost 519,000 tonnes in the 2021/2022 season to 292,660 tonnes in 2024/2025, according to PR-PICA figures.

The outlook could also affect regional rankings within the CFA zone. While Benin and Mali should remain the top two producers, Burkina Faso may overtake Côte d’Ivoire for third place. PR-PICA expects Ivorian output to fall to 317,000 tonnes in 2025/2026, down 11 percent from the previous season.

Rainfall patterns remain a shared concern across the region. “In most countries, there was a scarcity of rainfall, especially in dry and middle areas, signalling the end of the rainy season. This situation could have a negative impact on the development of late sowing, resulting in low productivity,” PR-PICA said in its November newsletter.

Guinea seeks fresh momentum after long slump

In Guinea, authorities are trying to rebuild a cotton industry that once played a major economic role. On December 18, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture handed over 50 rototillers and 2,000 tonnes of inputs to the Société Cotonnière de Kankan, the main operator in the sector.

SCK plans to finance at least 5,000 hectares of cotton in the 2025/2026 season, up from an average of 1,000 to 2,000 hectares in recent years. “In the medium term, the objective is to double the areas each year,” said SCK Director General Moussa Doumbouya, according to local media Mediaguinée.

The government has also partnered with Israeli irrigation firm Netafim to support skills transfer and modern farming methods. “We want to apply our global know how in drip irrigation and good agricultural practices,” said Frédéric Dollon, Netafim’s representative in Conakry.

Once producing close to 100,000 tonnes in the late 1990s, Guinea’s cotton output has dropped to just 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes per year. Recent steps, including the release of 30 percent of SCK’s share capital to clear wage arrears, will test whether the sector can regain a stronger role in the national economy.

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