• Cameroon posted the highest cotton yield in Africa at 1.54 tons per hectare.
• Yields were well above West Africa’s average and India’s output level.
• Uganda, Sudan, Egypt, and Benin complete the African top five.

According to the study, Cameroon is the African country with the highest cotton yield. The leading economy in the CEMAC region recorded production of 1.54 tons per hectare in the 2023–2024 season. This level is more than double the average yield of the five main cotton producers in West Africa, which stood at 0.54 tons per hectare. It is also well above India’s yield of 0.85 tons per hectare, despite India being the world’s second-largest cotton producer.

Cameroon’s performance is notable given that the country devotes smaller cultivated areas to cotton than several of its West African neighbors. Analysts in the cotton industry attribute this result to a combination of factors. These include strict compliance by farmers with production guidelines, notably planting calendars, optimal fertilizer use, and proper soil preparation. The quality of seed varieties and the effectiveness of pest control systems also play a key role.

Additional factors include the strict selection of farmers eligible for input credit. Producers who fail to meet minimum output thresholds are excluded from the scheme. Technical supervision is provided by the national cotton company, Sodecoton (SDCC).

After Cameroon, the top five African countries by cotton yield include Uganda at 1.51 tons per hectare, Sudan at 1.36 tons, Egypt at 0.96 tons, and Benin at 0.73 tons. Sudan and Egypt stand out because their cotton production systems rely on irrigation. In most other African countries, cotton farming depends largely on rainfall.

At the global level, China records the highest cotton yields worldwide. The country posts output of 3.18 tons per hectare, followed by Brazil at 2.91 tons and Australia at 2.48 tons.

Ranking of African countries by cotton yield (USDA)