Africa Cotton Market Size (2024 - 2029)

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 grows well in a warm and moist climate where summer is long, and there is soil salinity, making Sub-Saharan Africa one of the largest cotton producers worldwide. Additionally, the crop has generally grown alternately and as in crop rotation with other crops, such as the basic food crops like maize, soy, or groundnuts, which reduces soil leaching and pests supporting its cultivation in the country. Beyond farming, the cotton industry supports textile manufacturing, spinning mills, and garment production, further contributing to economic development and driving the market's growth. Cottonseed is also used to extract edible oil, mainly in West Africa, for animal feed and products like margarine.
• Cotton is almost entirely cultivated by smallholder farmers in Africa, with very few major plantations. The crop 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. Along with this, organizations like Fairtrade Africa work to ensure fair prices and labor standards for cotton farmers, promoting sustainable practices in cotton production.
• Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire are the highest cotton-producing countries in Africa and account for about 50% of the region's produce. Cotton produced in Africa is majorly exported to Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, and Malaysia. Moreover, a new study produced by AKADEMIYA2063 and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in 2023 showed that Africa’s cotton value chains nonetheless hold significant potential to become Africa’s next major export commodity, delivering growth, improved livelihoods, and opportunities for the continent at large. Thus, the high potential of cotton in the African market, coupled with the significant exports and usage of sustainable farming practices, are driving the market's growth during the forecast period.

Africa Cotton Industry Segmentation

Cotton, a staple in the African textile industry, belongs to the Mallow family. Its cream-colored fluffy fibers, enveloping tiny seeds known as bolls, are processed by separating the small, sticky seeds from the wool before spinning and weaving. The African cotton market is segmented by Geography (Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Tanzania). The report includes production (volume), consumption (volume and value), import (volume and value), export (volume and value), and price trend analysis. The report offers the market size and forecasts in terms of volume (metric tons) and value (USD) for all the above segments.