Africa Cotton Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Africa Cotton Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The African cotton market is projected to register a CAGR of 3.1% during the forecast period (2022-2027).

In addition to the serious implications for people's health and healthcare services, coronavirus (COVID-19) seemed to have a significant impact on the cotton market as well. ​Additionally, the shortage of the large labor force needed in the initial operations, as well as the inappropriate supply of cotton to the processing industries and export market owing to the logistical restrictions on trucking and shipping imposed by the government or non-state actors, that is eventually contributing to inconsistent availability and accessibility of cotton.​

Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast are the highest cotton-producing countries in Africa and account for about 50% of the region's produce. Major importers of African cotton are Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, and Malaysia. Cotton grows well in a warm and moist climate where summer is long and where there is salinity in the soil. This makes Sub-Saharan Africa one of the largest cotton producers worldwide. In Africa, cotton is almost exclusively grown by smallholder farmers, and there are only very few large plantations. Cotton in Africa has grown alternately with other crops such as the basic food crops maize, soy, or groundnuts, which reduces the leaching of soils and the occurrence of pests. One of the principal organizations offering global cotton production standards is the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). BCI is bringing an integrated approach to tackling the vulnerabilities of the complex supply chain to ensure the industry’s sustainability in the region.

Key Market TrendsIncreasing Demand for Natural Fibers

The word 'natural' is very common to hear these days. There are numerous advantages of including natural products in daily routine. When it comes to clothing, cotton, jute, silk, kapok, hemp, or wool are considered natural fibers.

Cotton is the world's most widely used natural fiber and the undisputed monarch of the global textiles industry to date. There is a rising popularity of going back to good old natural fibers like cotton, which is a great absorbent natural fiber and is hypoallergenic, making it a suitable choice for those with sensitive skin. Cotton is all-natural, making for a comfortable and breathable fabric year-round.

The increasing utilization of natural fibers, such as cotton, in the textile industry is driving the export of cotton from African countries. Burkina Faso is the largest exporter from Africa, which exported USD 265. 4 million in 2020. However, the export of cotton from Mali had drastically increased from USD 134.6 million in 2017 to USD 425.2 million by 2019. Most of the cotton was destined for Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China. Cotton is the most popular type of fabric used due to its versatility in these countries. It is lightweight, comfortable to wear, affordable, and one of the best to wear in the hot and humid climate of the Indian Sub-continent.

Western Africa Dominates the Production in the Region

Western Africa (WA) comprises twelve cotton-producing countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. The Foreign Agricultural Service of the USDA reported that of the twelve nations, Mali and Burkina Faso are the largest producers and are forecast to have record crops amid expanding areas. WA accounts for more than three-fourths of Africa’s cotton exports. Nearly all of the West African cotton is exported, as mills are relatively sparse within the region, signifying the pivotal role that foreign demand plays for West African producers. It is due to the robust growth in consumption in the South and Southeast Asian regions that they are the major importers of West African cotton.

Cotton production is usually practiced through a chemically intensive production system that has a negative effect on human and environmental health. In Western Africa, initiatives are being taken to increase organic cotton production that offers a safer and more profitable alternative, with up to two to three times more profit and safe, biological forms of pest control and soil fertilization. This is expected to increase the demand for Western African cotton in the forecast period.

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