OUAGADOUGOU – The Interprofessional Cotton Association of Burkina (AICB) announced significant reductions in fertilizer prices for the upcoming 2024/2025 cotton campaign. According to a press conference held on Wednesday in Ouagadougou, the price of a 50 kg bag of urea and NPKSB fertilizer will decrease to 18,500 FCFA, down from 27,700 FCFA and 25,000 FCFA respectively.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Ousseni Traoré, the reduction in prices marks a decrease of 34% for NPKSB and 42% for urea compared to the previous campaign. This adjustment was influenced by directives from the Head of State. Traoré attributed the significant price drop to a government subsidy of 10.979 billion FCFA granted to the cotton sector. Additionally, the AICB contributed 1.456 billion FCFA, bringing the total subsidy to 12.435 billion FCFA.

The lowered fertilizer prices, as Traoré noted, are designed to address the issue of affordability of agricultural inputs for cotton producers. He acknowledged the government’s responsiveness to the sector’s needs and highlighted the ample availability of fertilizers on the market. Traoré expressed optimism that more accessible input prices will empower cotton producers to enhance both the quantity and quality of their output, thereby bolstering Burkina Faso’s economy.