• Benin plans 8% increase in cotton output for 2026/2027 season

• Target could reinforce its position as West Africa’s top producer

• Higher output may boost export earnings from key cash crop

Benin plans to increase its seed cotton production to 700,000 tons in the 2026/2027 season, Agriculture Minister Gaston Dossouhoui reported yesterday during the official launch of the farming campaign in Komiguéa, in the northern commune of N’Dali.

If achieved, the goal would mark an 8% increase from the previous season. According to the latest industry estimates cited by the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA) in January, Benin’s 2025/2026 harvest reached 647,290 tons, cultivated across 510,897 hectares.

Details on the acreage planned for the upcoming season have not yet been disclosed. Still, the production target is expected to help Benin consolidate its position as the leading cotton producer in West Africa.

Earlier in March, Mali—the region’s second-largest producer and Benin’s main competitor—announced lower output expectations for its 2026/2027 campaign, with projected production of about 650,000 tons.

Cotton remains Benin’s main agricultural export, and higher output could further support export performance. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography show that the country generated CFA223.5 billion ($398 million) in revenue from shipments of non-carded, non-combed cotton in 2025.

Stéphanas Assocle