Mali plans to increase its seed cotton production to more than 650,000 tons during the 2026/2027 marketing season, local media reported. The target was discussed during the 106th ordinary board session of the Malian Textile Development Company (CMDT) on February 26.
If achieved, the goal would represent a more than 50% rise compared with the 2025/2026 season, when output was estimated at 433,700 tons, according to data cited by the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa.
To meet this target, CMDT plans to expand the planted area by 96,000 hectares to 630,000 hectares and increase average yields by 17% to 950 kilograms per hectare. CEO Kouloumégué Dembélé noted that an interim recovery plan and operational action plan have been prepared to address agronomic and structural constraints that have disrupted previous campaigns, including insecurity, floods, droughts, pest infestations, and delays in input supply.
Mali’s seed cotton production has fluctuated over the past five seasons. After reaching a peak of 777,000 tons in 2021/2022, output has consistently failed to exceed 700,000 tons, causing Mali to temporarily lose its position as Africa’s leading producer to Benin. Cotton remains the country’s second-largest export revenue source after gold, with output volatility affecting both trade balance and revenue generation.
International cotton prices have also declined, with the Cotlook A Index averaging 79.6 U.S. cents per pound in 2024/2025—a 13.4% drop from the previous season and the lowest since 2020/2021. Mali’s cotton exports fell from $256 million in 2020 to nearly $69.7 million in 2024, reflecting both lower output and weaker global prices.
CMDT’s ambitious production target aims to restore stability to Mali’s cotton sector, support export revenues, and reinforce the country’s position in the African and global cotton markets.
