• Burkina Faso estimates 2025/26 cereal output at 7.14 million tonnes
• Production up 17.6% year-on-year, driven by increased state farm support
• Regional disparities persist despite output forecast exceeding domestic demand

Burkina Faso’s provisional cereal output for the 2025/26 agricultural season is estimated at 7.14 million tonnes, the government said on Wednesday.

The estimate, announced at a cabinet meeting, represents a 17.6% increase from the previous season’s 6.07 million tonnes and a 37.2% rise compared with the five-year average. Authorities attributed the increase to public support for farmers and livestock producers, including the supply of inputs, fertilisers and agricultural equipment. The figures are provisional and will be confirmed at the end of the season.

Maize is expected to account for the largest share of production, with an estimated harvest of 2.68 million tonnes, or nearly 38% of total output. Sorghum is projected to make up 34%, followed by paddy rice at 14% and millet. The figures show wide regional disparities. Of the country’s 47 provinces, 15 are expected to record cereal deficits, eight are balanced and 24 are projected to post surpluses, the statement said.

While overall production is forecast to exceed domestic demand, authorities said the priority will be to ensure efficient redistribution to prevent local supply shortages and price pressures. Cereal crops covered an average of 4.2 million hectares a year between the 2019/20 and 2023/24 seasons, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD).

Stéphanas Assocle