What are the difficulties faced by cotton farmers in the developing world?
An estimated 100 million rural households are involved in the production of cotton in 70 countries around the world. Two-thirds of this cotton is produced in the developing world. For most cotton farmers in cotton-producing communities it is their only means of income and their only cash crop. In West Africa for example, cotton makes up to 40% of export income. Many cotton farmers also live in poverty – trying to survive on less than $2 a day. World prices on cotton have been unstable for a long time and farmers have been severely affected by the falling prices. Things are getting harder – not easier. Cotton farmers are under pressure from rising input costs of fuel, pesticides and insecticides. This means that few farmers can cover the cost of production, because they cannot pass these costs on when cotton is sold at such a low price. The Cotlook A Index (22.17KB) shows that in real terms cotton farmers received five times more for a kilo of cotton in 1973 than they did in 2007. Cotto
