Production of cotton lint totalled 37,650 tons for the 2018/19 marketing year (1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019), which represents a 140 percent increase over the previous season. An estimated 37,352 hectares were dedicated to cotton production in South Africa with 19,677 under irrigation and 17,675 under rainfed conditions.

The South African cotton crop for the 2019/20 marketing year is estimated at about 49,000 tons, which represents a 30 percent increase over the previous season.

Although rainfed hectares over the past five years increased by over 500 percent, the biggest production increase came from irrigated cotton which accounted for more than 80 percent of cotton lint production. The growth in total cotton hectares of close to 400 percent over the past five years, can mainly be attributed to two factors: first being the more favourable prices of cotton in relation to competing crops, and the establishment of the “Cotton Cluster” which generated renewed interest by farmers in cotton production.

The latter is an initiative of Cotton SA, producers, government and like-minded cotton industry value chain stakeholders to create an enabling environment for cotton producers and manufacturers to supply local and international customers with fully traceable and sustainable products.

Source: Country Report South Africa, ICAC Annual Assembly, Brisbane, Dec 2019

Bremen Cotton Report 11-12, the Bremen Cotton Exchange