Senegal: Cotton and Products Update

The harvested cotton area for Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso for marketing year (MY) 2021/22 (August to July) is forecast to increase 81 percent to 1.33 million hectares from the previous year. The increase follows a 12 percent lift in gate prices after low gate prices greatly hampered cotton production in Mali in MY 2020/21. In addition to recovered harvested area, late planted seeds were able to mature with favorable rainy season conditions, bringing MY 2021/22 production up 89 percent to 2.44 million bales. Exports in are expected to increase 17 percent to 2.39 million bales due to rising supplies and strong international demand, driving stocks down to 23,000 bales. Harvested area and production estimates for MY 2020/21 remain at 739,000 hectares and 1.28 million bales, respectively.