(Ecofin Agency) - In Burkina Faso, forecasts for the 2017/2018 cotton harvest were scaled down. The nation which initially aimed for an output of 650,000 tons, should finally produce 563,000 tons, or 17.5% less than during the previous year.

According to the Société burkinabè des fibres textiles (SOFITEX), this decrease is due to insufficient rains during sowing, paired with pest invasion.

Let’s recall that this is the second consecutive year that Burkina misses its production target. In 2016/2017, the country had harvested 683,000 tons against initial forecasts of 700,000 tons, due to low rains also.

Cotton farming is quite important, both socially and economy, for Burkina Faso, given that the crop contributes to about 15.5% of its export revenues, and is the main source of revenues of about four million people.  

Espoir Olodo