[Weaving Ribbon News] The African Cotton Association recently pointed out that since 2004, the West African cotton industry has fallen into a deep multiple crisis. In the 2004-2005 and 2008-2009 seasons, the total output of West African cotton fell from 1.2 million tons to 600,000 tons, a 50% reduction. Similarly, the share of cotton in global fiber products has dropped from 52% in 1975 to 35% in 2010. In addition, African cotton farmers have been subjected to unfair treatment by the developed countries to subsidize their cotton farmers, resulting in weak competition for African cotton. According to the survey statistics of the International Cotton Supervisory Commission, the amount of subsidies for cotton farmers in the 2009-2010 season was as high as US$4.7 billion. Among them, the United States accounted for $1.8 billion. In response, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin and Chad filed an arbitration application with the WTO dispute settlement agency, but it has so far failed.

    The cotton industry has always been an important pillar of the economic and social development of West African countries and is known as "white gold". Cotton exports account for 50% of Burkina Faso and Benin’s total annual export revenue and 30% of Mali. They directly or indirectly involve the lives of millions of people. They are important for driving the production of other crops, ensuring food security and promoting rural development. Strategic role. It should be pointed out that in addition to the negative impact of subsidies from developed countries on the African cotton industry, backward planting technology is also an important reason for its slow development. With the exception of South Africa, only Burkina Faso approved the introduction of genetically modified cotton seeds in 2008, with a planting area of ​​100,000 hectares, accounting for only 1/4 of the total area. Between 1995 and 2009, the output per hectare of West African cotton decreased from 400 kg To 300 kg. Due to the promotion of the use of genetically modified varieties in India, cotton has increased from 302 kg per hectare to 560 kg.

    In terms of cotton processing, local processing in West Africa is less than 2%. As early as 1980, there were 41 cotton processing plants in 8 countries of the West African Economic and Trade Union, but by 2006 there were only 20 left. The self-produced textiles in West Africa account for only 17% of the local market consumption, most of the other imported from Asia, and a small amount of old clothes from Western Europe. In order to change this situation, the West African Economic and Trade Union proposed a development strategy to rebuild and strengthen the cotton spinning industry in 2003, requiring cotton processing volume to reach 25% of total output by 2010. Malian President Dure also emphasized that cotton processing is the fundamental way out for the West African cotton industry to survive. However, in November last year, the Commissioner for Business, Telecommunications and Energy Development of the West African Economic and Trade Union acknowledged that the above-mentioned strategic achievements were ineffective and far from the expected goals. However, due to the good quality of cotton in West Africa, cheap labor, coupled with the growing local population and strong market demand, the prospects for the development of the cotton industry in West Africa are still broad.