© AfreePess- (Lomé, April 23, 2018) - The 2017-2018 cotton campaign in Togo is more optimistic than expected, say the first   Togo New Cotton Firm  (NSCT) leaders.

In terms of figures, Togo has developed 168,000 hectares out of the 160,000 hectares estimated for a total production of 116,000 tons in relation to the 2016-2017 year crop the figure of which is 108,000. "This is the first time that a goal set is achieved," enjoys the NSCT CEO. "These results have been achieved thanks to the mobilization of producers and the distribution of chemical fertilizers in large quantities and quality, the prompt payment of producers' bills and the increase in the purchasing price," he adds.

It should be recollected that the 11th meeting of the Regional Program of the Cotton Integrated Production in Africa (PR-PICA) ended Friday at the Hotel 2 Février in Lomé. Started April 18, 2018, the meeting allowed the six major cotton producing countries of PR-PICA to present the balance sheet of the 2017-2018 campaign.

In Togo, according to NSCT officials, 2017-2018 has achieved satisfactory results. "The Togolese production has increased even if it remains in modest proportions due mainly to the vagaries of climate," said the Director General of NSCT, NANFAME Adam Nana during a press conference balance sheet held in margins of the 11th PR-PICA meeting.

For the outlook of the 2018-2019 campaign that has just begun, the NSCT expects a production approaching 180,000 tons. These results will reach 200,000 tons by 2020.

As a reminder, the 11th meeting of the PR-PICA also allowed the reinforcement of the partnership between producers, cotton companies and agro-pharmaceutical firms of the countries embers of PR-PICA that are Benin, Burkina Faso, the Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Togo.

Cotonou, the capital of Benin will house the next PR-PICA meeting.