Cotton by-products – such as cottonseed oil and oilcakes – can contribute meaningfully to reducing poverty, creating jobs and increasing economic growth in Africa. These derivatives can represent up to 30% of the value of seed cotton. Yet oil and cakes have not been fully exploited, despite a potential of 400,000 tons of oil and 500,000 tons of protein – vital for the growing livestock industry. Stalks and other by-products have also been neglected.
This paper explores ways of capturing the full value of cotton in Africa. It illustrates the benefits of a more systematic way of exploiting the substantial untapped potential of cotton by-products.
Gérald Estur is a coordinator, editor and collaborating author, international cotton trade consultant, and former Statistician of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Washington, DC, USA.
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