Lint exports for 2007/08 Marketing Season

Exportation of lint to various destinations worldwide started on July 2007 and is expected to end on June 2008. Up to April 15th a total of 150,663 bales worth USD 43,110,794.9 have been exported to various countries with big percentage exported to Far Eastern countries. Monthly exports

Exports for 2006/07 Season

2005/06 Marketing season exports

A total of 536,392 bales of lint equivalent to 78% of the cotton produced in Tanzania last season was exported to various countries in the world mostly Far East. Only 157,411 bales of lint equivalent to 22% was consumed locally. .

Exports for 2004/05 season.

A total of 418,008 bales of cotton lint have been exported to various countries in the world by the end of June 2005. This is about 66.09% of all bales produced in 2004/05 season.

Exports by Destination for 2004/05 Season

Cotton Exports 2003/04 marketing season

Cotton is one of the major agricultural commodities from Tanzania. Prior to liberalisation of cotton industry in 1992, the importance of cotton to the economy of Tanzania was second after coffee. It contributed 24.5% of  the country's total export earnings. Over 80% of all cotton produced is meant for export and only between 10-20% is consumed locally.

nevertheless, prospects of the cotton sector in Tanzania as elsewhere in developing countries, remains mixed in view of its performance in the past. Whereas contribution of cotton to export earnings reached 24.5% in 1992, this plummeted to almost 4.5% at the turn of the millennium.

COTTON EXPORTS 2002/03 SEASON

Out of 350,000 bales of cotton lint produced 260,000 bales were exported to various countries in the world earning about 45 million US$. Main importers of cotton from Tanzania are from Far East including Indonesia, China, Thailand, China, Pakistan, Philippines, Malaysia etc. Exportation from July 2002 to April 2003

Tanzanian cotton is sold to the world market on the basis of either type or staple length or grades. With regard to types and staple length, three categories are recognised which are;

WCGA:       Tang-               good middling

                                       Gany-             middling

                                        Yika -               good ordinary

ECGA           Bord -     good middling

                                     Dars  -       middling

                                     Elam   -     good ordinary

Tang and Board are the highest selling grades for Western cotton growing area and Eastern Cotton Growing Area respectively.

THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL MARKET ON COTTON EXPORTATION.

Cotton consumption within the country is significantly low thus forcing most of the crop to be exported. This is partly contributed to by lack of enough textile and spinning industries to process cotton. due to this Tanzania has failed to export value added product and this contributed to lower producer price.

However Tanzania government through its privatisation programmes has privatized most textiles which were un operational. With this measure plus the foreign investment in the textile industries, Tanzania will be able to export not only raw cotton but also value added cotton products.

Measures to expand internal market.
The government under the privatisation policy is looking for individuals or companies to buy off the industries which are not operating now, the industries which will eventually consume the cotton grown here in Tanzania and hence produce value added products for export instead of exporting raw cotton. This will however help to increase the producer price.

Also the government is looking for a way to reduce the high power tariff which is hampering the manufacturing sector textile inclusive. This will attract more people to invest in textile manufacturing thus increasing the internal market for cotton produced in Tanzania.

Since 1994 when the government privatised the entire agriculture industry, cotton business has being open to any person who has the ability to buy and export cotton so longer as they adhere to the rules and regulations set by the government (analysis found under "regulations").

Before liberalisation i.e. early 1990's Tanzania Cotton Board was operating as the sole agent for co-operative unions in exporting cotton from Tanzania. But following the restoration of co-operative unions in 1984 after been dissolved by the government in 1976 the then Tanzania Cotton Marketing Board used to purchase cotton lint from the co-operative unions and export it.

Since 90% of cotton is grown in Western Cotton Growing Areas exportation can either be done through Sirari (Tanzania - Kenya border) or through Dar es salaam. Before Cotton reaches the port has to be transported via railway from Mwanza.

Lint produced and export in 14 years

Graph Showing percentage exported by season

Lint export for 2001/02 season