Cotton rebounds after slump, posts 53pc growth

TANZANIA: SEED cotton production has increased by more than 53 per cent between the 2021/2022 and 2025/2026 seasons, despite a sharp decline recorded in 2024/2025.

The Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB) Acting Director General, Mr Renatus Luneja, said in an interview that production rose from 144,792 tonnes in the 2021/2022 season to 222,060 tonnes in 2025/2026.

Production increased to 174,033 tonnes in 2022/2023 before reaching a five-season peak of 282,316 tonnes in 2023/2024.

However, output plunged to 149,361 tonnes in 2024/2025 before recovering to 222,060 tonnes in the 2025/2026 season.

“This translates to an increase of about 53.4 per cent between the 2021/2022 and 2025/2026 seasons, while the latest output is also up by 48.7 per cent compared to the previous season,” he said.

Mr Luneja attributed fluctuations in production to climate variability, changes in global cotton prices and the effectiveness of policy and strategic interventions.

He said unreliable rainfall and outbreaks of crop pests remain among the key challenges affecting production.

Tanzania has about 500,000 cotton farmers annually, cultivating an average of 1.2 million acres, with yields averaging 220 kilogrammes per acre.

“Productivity remains below potential, making its improvement a key priority for the government and TCB,” he said.

The government targets to raise average yields to 500 kilogrammes per acre, equivalent to about 1.24 tonnes per hectare, in the 2026/2027 season.

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To achieve the target, TCB will strengthen extension services under the BBT-Cotton Programme, with more than 833 extension officers expected to be recruited to support farmers from land preparation through to harvesting.

The government is also investing in modern pest-control technologies, appropriate fertiliser use, farm machinery and digital systems for farmer registration and seed cotton procurement.

During the 2025/2026 season, more than 828 extension officers were deployed across 589 cotton-growing wards, contributing to the recovery in production.

Overall, about 972,562 tonnes of seed cotton were produced over the five seasons.

Mr Luneja said the longterm goal is to position Tanzania among Africa’s leading cotton producers and eventually increase annual production to five million tonnes.