Cotton Development Organisation
Welcome to the CDO
The Cotton Development Organisation monitors the production, processing, and marketing of cotton in Uganda. The organisation promotes the distribution of high quality cotton seed and generally facilitates the development of the cotton industry.
Established in 1994 by an Act of Parliament, it has the responsibility to monitor the production, processing, and marketing of cotton so as to enhance the quality of lint exported and locally sold, to promote the distribution of high quality cotton seed and generally to facilitate the development of the cotton industry.
Why Uganda for your cotton needs?
- Lint cotton production in 2011: estimated 27, 087 Metric tons.
- For season 2014/2015 Uganda expects to export 92,500 Metric tons of lint cotton.
- All seed cotton is handpicked, which better preserves the intrinsic quality of the lint.
- 40 ginneries all equipped with roller gins except 2 saw gins operators.
- A very homogeneous cotton production: Uganda has only one cotton variety which is unique to the country and which has very good fibre properties, including a staple length up to 1 3/16â€.
Overview of Cotton Industry in Uganda
Cotton is Uganda’s third largest export crop after coffee and tea. It is the main source of income for some 250,000 households, who cultivate cotton under rain-fed conditions and with minimal use of inputs,such as fertilisers and chemicals. Since the climate and the soil are very suitable for cotton cultivation, it is a very popular commodity among smallholders with an average farm size of 0.5 hectares.
The national average yields of seed cotton have increased from 625 kg/ha in 1994 to 1250 kg/ha in 2010, while on the rich volcanic foothills of Mt. Rwenzori, yields of 3,750 kg/ha have also been achieved.