(Ecofin Agency) - In a statement released last week, the Nouvelle Société Cotonière du Togo (NSCT) has published forecasts for the 2017-2018 cotton season which opened last May.

While the company planned for areas sown to cover 160,000 hectares, it was finally 170,000 hectares that were sown and this impacted the production. According to forecasts, this year, the country will produce about 130,000 tons of cotton, against 108,000 tons last season, thus a 30% increase.

NSCT has also announced the start of harvest and commercialization for this season. During the 2017/2018 season, minimum price for a kg of cotton is CFA240 for the 1^st choice while the 2^nd choice is trading at CFA220.

The increase in output expected this year has led to the opening of a fifth ginning plant which will add to the four already operating in the country (Notsè, Atakpamé, Kara and Dapaong).

Togolese authorities are making more efforts to boost the cotton sector. Actually, they aim at a yearly output of 220,000 tons.

Cotton is Togo’s first industrial crop. It generates 20%-40% of the country’s export revenues and contributes to up to 4.3% of its GDP.