With confinement to limit the spread of the coronavirus, cotton is no longer sold. What fate for cotton production in Benin? The world cotton market is almost at a standstill due to the coronavirus. According to George Toby, the vice-president of the CICCA (Cotton Associations International Cooperation Committee) reported by RFI, "at 49 cents per pound on the New York Stock Exchange, the fiber is at the lowest of the decade, cotton lost a third of its value in 37 days”. The pandemic has stifled the industry. Because, according to RFI, “the major clothing brands were surprised by the extension of the epidemic outside of China”.

On its site, RFI indicates that many had redirected their textile production to Turkey, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Morocco. But, Anne-Laure Linget, an analyst in the textile-clothing sector, told RFI that “overnight, some brands in the top 10 in Europe not only canceled their orders, but they refused to take delivery of manufactured products that were already to the railing in the ports”. Currently China, which has already imported a lot of cotton, wants to promote the production of polyester, with oil at 20 dollars.

What about Cotton in Benin?

It is therefore clear that in the current context, the marketing of cotton is at a standstill. Cotton already sold to spinners is still awaiting export. Benin launched its 2019-2020 cotton campaign on Thursday, November 14, 2019 and opted to set the most advantageous purchase prices in the sub-region. As proof, the price of 265 F Cfa/kg for 280 F Cfa paid by the ginners, with regard to first choice cotton, then that of 215 F Cfa/kg for 230 F Cfa paid by the ginners, with regard to second choice cotton. Benin's production increased from 598,000 tons in 2017-2018 to 678,000 tons in 2018-2019. And so, with the current context, how will the country be able to sell the rest of the cotton harvested? The risk of a drop in the producer price for the next campaign is very high. And this will certainly compromise the future of the sector in Benin.