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The SOFITEX aims at a 80% GMO harvest in the coming season 2010 - 2011 This month of May the SOFITEX cotton company (Société des fibres textiles du Burkina) has met with the producers and informed them of its objectives. For the forthcoming season its ambition is to reach a target of 500 000 tons (compared to the 300 000 output in the previous season), on the basis of its two major trump cards.
First it reckons with the rising price of cotton, , up from 160 to 182 F CFA. for top quality cotton and from 135 to 157 for second quality. In actual fact the companies are not taking any risks. Since cotton prices (in dollar) are climbing and the Euro is falling (and with it also the CFA franc, pegged to the Euro-dollar exchange rate), they could certainly have offered more. This was also pointed out by some cotton farmers, asking for 210 CFA francs/kg, paid in the 2005-2006 season. A second advantage, according to the SOFITEX, are the GMO cotton seeds, (see also abc Burkina n° 372) which are now available in large quantities. The SOFITEX has left no stone unturned in its efforts to convince farmers to take up GMO cotton, which would ensure them a bigger harvest (around 1 350 kg/hectare), "provided that rainfalls are adequate and the technical prescriptions followed." SOFITEX managers relate their forecast of “expected output” to the “effective output” farmers achieved in recent years.
However, one of my friends consulted by telephone this morning tells me that “traditional cotton” could easily yield 1500 kg/hectare, if technical prescriptions are complied with (fertiliser and pesticide inputs…). On the basis of these two assumptions, SOFITEX sets its aim at a 500 000 tons harvest (out of the expected national total of 600 000 already announced). Of these, 80 % would be GMO cotton. Is it possible to assess the chances of success of SOFITEX ? It will probably achieve the 80% GMO target. The SOFITEX has indeed used a heavy hand in this. Whilst it apparently offers farmers a choice between traditional cotton seeds and GMO seeds, in reality things turn out differently. In the Boni district (a large cotton producer) SOFITEX sells only GMO seeds (at 12 000 CFA francs/12 kg)! What about the 500 000 ton estimate? We might recall that last year SOFITEX announced a harvest of 450 000 tons; whereas the final outcome was 322 000 tons. Furthermore I know of many farmers who feel discouraged and say they only grow cotton to receive fertiliser, that they can then use for their maize crop. One of my friends, who grew cotton on 20 hectares last year, told me he will do only 5 this year. It will be interesting to see, at the end of the season, if the moderate increase in cotton prices will enable the SOFITEX to win its bet and the rainfall will be sufficient. Farmers who had to sow twice last year (because of the scarce rains) are not at all happy with the high cost of GMO seeds. If the rains are again volatile, it would mean a fatal blow to GMO cotton. Koudougou, May 22nd, 2010
Maurice Oudet
Director, SEDELAN |
