The Ivoirian government has decided to maintain the purchase prices of cotton seed at 310 FCFA and 285 FCFA per kilogram for the 2026-2027 agricultural season. This decision was announced by Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production, Bruno Nabagné Koné, on November 3, 2026, in Abidjan. The move aims to support producers facing difficulties in the international market and to preserve the momentum of the cotton sector's recovery.
The decision was made public during a meeting with stakeholders and professionals in the cotton sector, held at the Caistab building in the Plateau commune. According to Minister Koné, the government's choice to maintain these prices is a show of support for Ivoirian producers. The prices of key inputs will also remain the same as in the previous season. A 50kg bag of NPK fertilizer will be sold at 18,100 FCFA, while a 50kg bag of urea will cost 17,050 FCFA.
The cost of insecticides for the 2026-2027 season has been set at 35,000 FCFA per hectare for seven treatments planned during the cotton cycle. To accompany these measures, the state plans to provide financial support of 29.3 billion FCFA for the 2026-2027 season. This includes 6.8 billion FCFA for input subsidies and 22.5 billion FCFA for a price supplement granted to producers.
The minister explained that this intervention will bring the price of first-choice cotton seed from 246 FCFA to 310 FCFA per kilogram, a 64 FCFA increase. For second-choice cotton, the price will rise from 221 FCFA to 285 FCFA per kilogram, thanks to the same support mechanism. This financial support aims to shield producers from international market fluctuations and encourage production.
Looking back at the 2025-2026 season, Minister Koné reported that Côte d'Ivoire produced 310,307 tons of cotton seed, against a forecast of 353,400 tons, representing a realization rate of 88%. This volume is almost equivalent to that of the previous season but is 31.4% higher than the 2022-2023 production, which was heavily impacted by jassides attacks.
The average yield for the 2025-2026 season saw a significant improvement, rising from 873 to 1,069 kg per hectare. Minister Koné welcomed this performance but noted a decline in the number of producers, from 106,011 in 2023-2024 to 79,979 in 2025-2026. The cultivated areas also decreased by 19%, from 357,147 to 290,208 hectares.
For the 2026-2027 season, projections indicate a production of 352,300 tons of cotton seed on a surface area of 327,500 hectares, with an expected average yield of 1,076 kg per hectare. The government's decision to maintain purchase prices and provide financial support is expected to help achieve these targets and sustain the sector's growth.
Key points
- The Ivoirian government maintains cotton purchase prices at 310 FCFA and 285 FCFA per kilogram for the 2026-2027 season.
- Financial support of 29.3 billion FCFA will be provided to producers for the 2026-2027 season.
- Côte d'Ivoire produced 310,307 tons of cotton seed during the 2025-2026 season.
