Cotton cultivators soften stand (Burkina Faso)

Cotton cultivators in Burkina Faso, sub- Saharan Africa’s largest grower of the fibre, accepted the Government’s request to grow cotton as discussions continue to find a solution to the demand of the farmers to lower the price of fertilizers to 13,200 CFA francs per bag.

The appeal to farmers to begin planting cotton seeds was made by Agriculture Minister Laurent Sedogo, when he met the representatives of the farmers lobby in Bobo Dioulasso, the second-largest city.

The Minister said that the farmers must begin cultivation with the onset of the rainy season, otherwise everybody stands to lose. He indicated that discussions to reach an agreement will, however, continue.

Mr. Sedogo added that acceding to the farmers demand for lowering the price of fertilizers to 13,200 francs per bag from the current 16,000 francs will cost the country’s treasury an extra 8.5 billion francs.

Cotton growers in Burkina Faso had earlier staged protests demanding 500 francs per kilogram of cotton and had threatened to boycott the 2011-12 cotton cultivating season. The demand is now lowered to 255 francs after the Government on 26 April increased the price farmers would be paid for cotton by 35 percent to 245 francs.