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The 2022/2023 cotton campaign promises to be difficult. Between the fertilizer crisis and pest attacks, productivity and production are down among the main producers in West Africa, with the exception of Benin. A crisis that will have repercussions on the standard of living of producers.
In Mali, the cotton campaign looks gloomy with projected yields down by 45 to 50%. An invasion of jassids, these pests that damage crops, devastated the main production basins. ” Most cotton producers will be in default says Youssouf Djimé Sidibé, executive secretary of Aproca, the association of African cotton producers. Because the producers borrow to be able to cultivate. And the reimbursement depends on the harvests.
« In most countries, cotton companies purchase inputs and distribute them to producers on credit. And, depending on the harvest, at the time of marketing, the cotton company takes the value of the inputs, says Youssouf Djimé Sidibé. Today, producers will not be able to repay the debt. »
Malian producers are waiting for the authorities to declare a state of natural disaster following the Jassid attacks, in order to release aid funds. There are some at the national level, but also at the level of UEMOA and ECOWAS.
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Burkina Faso is experiencing a less dramatic situation. Last year, the State had set a very attractive cotton price, thus allowing an increase in the areas sown. However, the distribution of fertilizers was not optimal and the attacks of jassids, although less serious than in Mali, had an impact on yields.
« The physical results we have today indicate that production will be around 483,000 tonnes of seed cottonreports Ali Compaoré, managing director of Socoma, one of the country’s three cotton companies. At the national level, this will represent a drop of around 7% compared to last year, and a drop in productivity of around 12%. »
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Producer cooperatives will therefore see their margin reduced
« We have objectives of 60% of the gross value of the cotton for the producer and 40% to repay the credits, continues Ali Compaore. And we see that in some cooperatives, the margin has shrunk. But all the same, the producers manage to repay the credits contracted under the campaign. »
In Mali as in Burkina Faso, the situation will therefore lead to a loss of purchasing power in the countryside. And the producers challenge the authorities on the cascading risks. In Mali in particular, they fear a food crisis. Because the fertilizers sold on credit to cotton growers are also used for cereal crops. And if producers no longer have enough to buy inputs, they fear losing on all fronts.