March 21, 2003

Figure 1. Cotton Producing Regions

Figure 2. Cotton Gin Locations in Tanzania

Cotton Production

Cotton is mainly grown on small scale farms, and is divided into two general zones: the western cotton zone of Shinyanga, Mwanza, Tabora, Mara, Singida, Kagera and Kigoma regions, accounting for over 90 percent of production; and the eastern cotton zone of Morogoro, Coast, Tanga, Iringa, Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions.  Planting begins in December for the unimodal areas of the western part of the country, with harvesting in late June and marketing beginning in August.  Planting begins between February and March in the eastern portion of the country, with harvesting in early August to late October.

For more information, contact Curt Reynolds
with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division, at Curt.Reynolds@fas.usda.gov or (202) 690-0134.