• Senegal plans to raise cotton seed output to 25,000 tons in 2025, a 66% increase

• Expanded planting area and long-term goal of 100,000 tons by 2029 support the target

• Challenges include irregular rainfall and competition from more profitable crops

Senegal plans to raise cotton seed production to 25,000 tons by the end of the 2025/2026 campaign. The goal was announced by Papa Fata Ndiaye, General Director of the Society for Development and Textile Fibres (Sodefitex), ahead of the 21st Annual Days of the African Cotton Association (Aca) being held in Dakar from May 15 to 17.

This new target represents a 66% increase over the 15,508 tons harvested during the previous season. The plan relies on a 75% increase in cultivated area year over year. Ndiaye told local media outlet Seneweb on May 9 that he expects producers to dedicate 21,000 hectares to cotton in 2025/2026, compared to just 12,000 hectares in the previous season.

Looking ahead, Senegal’s long-term objective is to reach 100,000 tons of cotton seed by 2029. To achieve this, however, the country must overcome structural obstacles that continue to hold the sector back. Chief among these is irregular rainfall, which disrupts the plant’s growth cycle and undermines Senegal’s competitiveness compared to CFA zone neighbors like Mali and Burkina Faso.

"Senegal experiences breaks in rainfall during the rainy season, which causes water stress for the plant. To produce efficiently, we need water from June to October. If there is a delay in rainfall, early stops, or breaks during this period, the entire plant cycle is disrupted," Ndiaye explained.

Another challenge is competition from peanuts, which in some years are more profitable and lead producers to shift their focus away from cotton. Still, boosting cotton production could raise the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

In 2024, Senegal exported just 5,612 tons of cotton, generating CFA6.6 billion (about $11.3 million) in revenue, according to data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (Ansd).