Cotton production in Ivory Coast rose by 25 percent, from 328,000 tonnes in the 2016-17 season to 412,000 tonnes in 2017-18, according to official figures. Yields rose by 30 percent, helped mainly by favourable weather and better seed, fertiliser and pesticides and land use, government spokesman Bruno Kone said on Wednesday.
Gross income was 108 billion CFA francs, up from 86 billion. Ivory Coast has followed an ambitious strategy of price support in cotton, cocoa, cashews, rubber and coffee. In cotton, it hopes to become one of the top three African producers and among the top 10 worldwide. It has set a target for 442,000 tonnes for the 2018-19 season.
Credit: News agencies
