Burundi – Burundian cotton, a sector losing momentum despite promises of revival

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, November 27, 2025 – Once Burundi’s second-largest export crop after coffee, cotton is now experiencing a profound crisis. Declining yields, unpredictable weather, a lack of support, and excessively low purchase prices have discouraged many producers, particularly in the Imbo Plain.

According to a cotton farmer contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, “production and cultivated areas have steadily declined, season after season.” The figures speak for themselves : from 8,950 tons in 1993, the national production has fallen to 1,115 tons, while the cultivated area has decreased from 8,495 hectares to 2,493 hectares. These difficulties led to the suspension of exports since 2010.

An ambitious national strategy… that remained a dead letter

To revitalize the sector, the government adopted the National Strategy for the Revitalization of Cotton Farming 2017–2027 in 2017. One of the major objectives was to expand the cultivated area to more than 10,000 hectares and achieve annual production exceeding 12,000 tons, in order to meet local demand and boost exports.

A former Minister of Agriculture, speaking on condition of anonymity, recalls that this plan aimed to restructure the entire chain – from production to export – and reduce the country’s dependence on coffee. “But seven years later, performance has stagnated,” he admits.

Producers weakened by difficult conditions

On the ground, farmers point to several constraints. The price of seed cotton remains very low :

“We are working at a loss. The price per kilo doesn’t even cover the cost of maintaining the field,” laments a cotton farmer in the Imbo plain.

Added to this is the lack of inputs – particularly improved seeds and fertilizers – as well as the absence of regular technical support. Several producers say they haven’t received a visit from agricultural extension agents for several seasons.

Climate hazards are exacerbating the situation : droughts in some areas and recurring floods in the Imbo plain, caused by the rising waters of Lake Tanganyika and neighboring rivers, have destroyed significant areas of food and cash crops, including cotton, the region’s main cash crop.

Several cotton cooperatives are also denouncing the lack of funding and payment delays from COGERCO, the company responsible for ginning and purchasing seed cotton.

Recent statistics : a slow recovery

According to COGERCO, the 2022–2023 season produced approximately 1,500 tons from 3,100 hectares under cultivation, a volume still far from the targets set for 2027. The lack of updated data for 2024–2025 complicates the assessment of the recovery, but the available indicators show that the sector is still struggling to take off.

The hope for a revival

Despite these challenges, several observers believe that the sector could be revived, provided that the government honors its commitments and that producers receive better support and compensation. If these conditions are met, the Burundian cotton—once renowned for its quality—could once again contribute to the national economy, create jobs, and reduce the country’s dependence on coffee as its main export crop.