Ministry Of Commerce: Affected By The Conflict Between Russia And Ukraine, Mali Cotton Production Season Is Affected By Fertilizer Shortage

Mali Daily reported on June 4, 2022 that although the U.S. Department of agriculture predicts that Mali's cotton planting area will increase in 2022, due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the supply of chemical fertilizer is insufficient, and the local cotton planting area may be reduced. In the cotton producing areas such as Kita, Sikasso and jiaoila, the cotton planting area has been reduced from 41000 hectares to 38000 hectares due to the fact that the production season has begun and the urea required for cotton sowing is insufficient. Although the rainfall in Kita is late and the production season has not yet started, if sufficient fertilizer is not provided before July 10, the local cotton and corn production will also be affected. At present, Sikasso can only meet 50% of the fertilizer demand, while it has obtained more than 85% of the fertilizer demand in the same period last year. It is likely that the local government will also be forced to make a decision to reduce the cotton planting area.