Africa Cotton Market Size

Africa Cotton Market Analysis

The Africa Cotton Market size is estimated at USD 6.06 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 7.70 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.91% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

• Cotton is almost entirely cultivated by smallholder farmers in Africa, with very few major plantations. Cotton is frequently farmed as a supplemental commercial crop alongside staples grown for subsistence. However, only in a few places in Africa is the genetically modified cotton crop permitted to grow. Smallholder farmers exclusively plant genetically modified cotton in South Africa, Sudan, and Burkina Faso in Sub-Saharan Africa. African cotton farmed by smallholder farmers is primarily hand-picked, ensuring its high quality.
• 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.
• Cotton in Africa has generally grown alternately with other crops, such as the basic food crops maize, soy, or groundnuts, which reduces soil leaching and 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.