I.

INTRODUCTION

Cotton is one of the oldest cultivated fiber crops in
Ethiopia

G. herbaceum,
herbaceum, race acerifolium -Berger (1969)
COTTON PRODUCTION AND

>95% under production is the medium staple
RESEARCH IN ETHIOPIAN cotton (G.hirsutum
(G.hirsutum L.)

Cotton is one of the major cash crops in Ethiopia
BY ABRAHAM G.HIWET
It offers considerable employment opportunity on
farms, in textile factories and in the ginneries.
(AGRONOMIST)

It is extensively grown in irrigated lowlands and in
warmer mid altitudes under rainfed

II.CURRENT RESEARCH STATUS Table.1 Seed cotton and lint yield, and fiber properties of released
cotton varieties under research center

Since the execution of cotton research in

the country various recommendations No Variety Seedcotton Lint G.O.T. 2.5% Mic Fiber
. yield yield % Span strength
were made in respect to breeding, kg ha-1 kg ha-1 length P.S.I
(mm)
agronomy, crop protection, soil and water
management and socio-economic 1 Acala SJ2 3250 1109 34.12 28.62 3.15 79.34
aspects.
2 DP- 90 3850 1341 34.83 27.70 3.73 77.30

Research in cotton is still conventional
3 Tayse 5280 2086 39.50 26.98 3.78 74.63

Currently the research program has
4 Arba 3580 1455 40.64 30.32 3.48 79.74
developed research projects for the next 5
5 Sille-91 3558 1389 39.79 27.85 3.63 72.72
years.

PROJECT COMPONENTS General Goals/

Goals/Objectives:
Objectives:
This project part comprises seven main components:

(1) Development of high yielding cotton varieties with acceptable fiber quality; The general objective of the cotton research

(2) Development of agronomic practices and cropping system for irrigated project is
and rain grown cotton;

(3) Development of integrated pest management practices;

To generate improved technologies that contribute to the

(4) Technology multiplication and promotion; increased production and productivity of cotton and

(5) Socioeconomic studies; thereby to bring the country to self-sufficiency, promote
export, contribute to economic development and poverty

(6) Post harvest handling, processing and by-product utilization; and reduction, conservation of integrity of natural resources

(7) Capacity building. and the environment.

Source of budget:
budget: Government

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 Specific objectives of cotton research are: Table 3.
3. Human resource currently engaged in cotton
research on full time basis

To develop acceptable and high yielding cotton varieties for export market
and industry raw material
Field of
specialization PhD MSc BSc Dip.

To develop appropriate agronomic practices and suitable cropping systems
Plant breeder
for the different AEZs & farming systems, 1 2 1 2
Agronomist

To develop integrated crop protection management practices - - 1 1
Physiologist

To create strong and sustainable technology transfer system and linkage
- - - -
between stakeholders Entomologist
1 - - 2
Pathologist

To undertake adoption studies, examine impact of cotton technologies on - 1 - 1
farmers' income, resource allocation and food security
Fiber
technologist - - - -

To strength human power and research facilities of the project
Total 2 3 2 6

POSSIBLE COLLABORATION
IV. RESEARC NEEDS
PROJECTS

Research to develop varieties with high yielding potential and
especially higher fibre quality that meet world market standard.
Based on the research needs:

The established crop management practices are mostly for irrigated
commercial cotton production systems.
Regional collaboration are crucial

Thus, the small-scale production system is suffering from lack of
In germplasm acquisition
effective technologies that could increase productivity.

poor access to improved varieties and high pest incidence are major
Better techniques of seed production
problem in smallholder cotton growers under rain fed conditions.

standardizing fiber quality parameters

For newly developing potential areas, complete packages of
production practices are needed.
Organic cotton production practices and

varieties must be available on a continuous basis in order to meet certification
the evolving needs of producers and requirements of textile mills.

Crop protection practices must cope-up with rapidly changing pest
situation taking into account environmental friendliness

Beneficiaries and impact Technology Dissemination Strategy

Demonstration
Beneficiaries
The popularization

State farms
Scaling up, in collaboration with Ministry of
Agriculture

Private commercial farms

Publications (Annuals reports, journals,

Textile industries
proceedings, manuals, leaflets, brochures

Farmers etc.)

Researchers/Regional institutes
Trainings, workshops, exhibitions, field days

Oil extracting factories
Web pages http://www.eiar.gov.et

http://www.eiar.gov.et

Traders
Media (Radio, television, news peppers)

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 III. PRODUCTION PRODUCTION …cont

The potential total area agro-ecologically
In 2003 the total area covered by cotton was
110,000 ha with a production of 700,000 tons of
conducive for cotton production in Ethiopia raw cotton where contribution of the smallholder
is estimated to 2,575,810ha
2,575,810ha was estimated to 36,400 tons and

The total area of the small-scale cotton

However, in spite of high potential area in producers was estimated to 56,000 hectares.
the country, the current production could
not exceed 125,000 ha.
While based on reports of MoARD (2005) the
area have increased to more than 122,000 ha
where more than 84,000 ha under smallholders
and the rest 28,600 ha are under commercial
private and state farms.

PRODUCTION …cont
Table 2. Production.. cont

Production and productivity of cotton vary considerable
from farm to farm due to various reasons. Year Area under cotton Total production
(ha) (Tones)

Productivity of commercial varieties

Under research - 3.5 to 4 tones 2003 110,000 136,800

2-3 and 1-1.2 tones in irrigated and rain grown commercial farms,
respectively.

Under farmer’
farmer’s production systems- 0.3 to 0.7 tones/ha. 2004 125,000 137,500

The low productivity of farmer’

farmer’s production system is 2005 120,000 144,000
mainly due :

poor land preparation,

lack of access to improved plant varieties and inputs, 2006 122,000 140,300

use of primitive mechanization, and knowledge gap in crop
management techniques.

Processing Industry Processing ….

In Ethiopia handloom village spinners and
The country has 11 ginneries, more than 15
weavers traditionally woven cloths made of textile and garment industries which are
homemade cotton fabrics, mostly consume primarily based on cotton raw materials entirely
cotton produced by smallholders. produced by commercial and small-scale farms.

The remaining portion goes to ginneries, textile

Despite its high potential of production and
and spinning mills through intermediary
traders/assemblers. processing the cotton sub-sector in Ethiopia is

On the other hand, much of lint cotton produced not organized and its development remains with
by commercial state and private farms goes to slow pacing in the economy of the nation.
textile/spinning plants and export market.

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 Fig. Textile and apparel export and income earned (1998-2004).
Table 2. Production.. cont Source: Data from EEPA, 2004.

Year Area under cotton Total production

(ha) (Tones) 8,000 Quantity Value
10000000
2003 114,000 136,800 7,000
8000000
6,000

Quantity (tons)

Value ($ US D)
5,000 6000000
2004 125,000 137,500 4,000
3,000 4000000
2,000
2000000
2005 120,000 144,000 1,000
0 0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2006 122,000 140,300 Year

Table 3. Annual designed capacity and average actual

Table 4. Annual installed capacity and average actual
consumption of raw cotton by 8 functional ginneries in
consumption of 9 textiles mills in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Capacity Actual Difference
N Ginneries Capacity Actual Difference No Textiles and spinners (tons) Consumption (tons)
o per annum consumptio (tons) (tons)
(tons) n (tons) 1 Arbaminch Textile S.C 3800 795 3005

1 Arbaminch Ginnery* 13,500 2,028 11,472 2 Awassa Textile S.C* 3000 2000 1000

2 Shewa Ginnery PLC 2,400 326 2,074 1000 986 14

3 Shewa Ginnery PLC
3 Ture Trading PLC 10,000 8,290 1,710
4 Akaki Textile S.C 2100 1000 1100
4 MAADE* 48,900 37,440 11,460
5 Hiwot Farm PLC 30,000 7,000 23,000 5 Adey Abeba S.C 2500 2000 500
6 Gonder Ginnery PLC 10,000 6,600 3,400
6 Almeda Textile PLC (ALTEX) 6,102 3,208 2894
7 TADE* 18,630 9,590 9,040
8 Abobo* 3,000 1,474 1,526 7 Kombolcha Textile S.C 4500 3207 1293

Total 136,430 72,748 63,682 8 Bahirdar Textile S.C 2500 2300 200

9 Dire Dawa Textile S.C 4500 3100 1400

Total 30,002 18,596 11,406

Supply Structure PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS

 The supply structure of the cotton  Traditional farming practice in most of the
industry in Ethiopia could be categorized smallholder farmers
in to 4 structures:  Lack of good quality seeds

Cotton
 growers  Inadequate fertility management

Assemblers
 Poor post harvesting techniques

Ginneries and
 Lack of integration among actors in the

Textile and garment factories
sub-sector

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 PRODUCTION CONS.. PRODUCTION CONS..

Un exploitation of potential cotton growing
Limitation of irrigation development facilities

areas.
Limitation of access of cotton growers to technical
information on cotton production, quality and market

Shortage of improved seed supply and aspects
acid delinted seeds to small holders
Lack of contractual production and marketing system

Less involvement of cooperatives in cotton production

Poor input supply system
and marketing

Lack of extension service in the cotton
Financial problems in smallholder growers
sector
Lack of coordinating and regulating body of the sub-
sector (production, processors, exporters and

Limitation of cotton research in all cotton researchers) in the country.
growing agro-ecologies

CONCLUSION

To promote cotton production in general,

I THANK U
government and major actors in the sub sector
should play a great role in strengthening the
cotton research in the country.

An institute, which coordinate and monitor cotton
production, processing, research and market in
the country, should be established. This will
enable to have:

Sufficient information on domestic and foreign
market.

Standardize outputs at a national level

Encourage production and export and training
services.