Seed cotton production in Kenya
In 2024 Kenya produced 6,234 t of seed cotton, the 54th largest in the world (0.01% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 54%. The record was 38,129 t in 1980. Area harvested: 16,469 ha, yield 0.4 t/ha.
- Production, 2024
- 6,234 t
- World rank
- 54 of 83
- 10-year change
- −54%
- Record
- 38,129 t
- 1980
Seed cotton in Kenya, 1961–2024 (tonnes)
Kenya compared with the world, 2024
- Share of world total
- 0.01%
- 0.02% in 2014
- Yield, t/ha
- 0.4
- world 2.4 (−84%)
- kg per person
- 0.11
- world 8.92
- 10-year change
- −54%
- world −4.3%
Position in the world ranking
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Tunisia | 6,796 | 0.01% |
| 53 | Bolivia | 6,400 | 0.01% |
| 54 | Kenya | 6,234 | 0.01% |
| 55 | Niger | 5,806 | 0.01% |
| 56 | Guinea-Bissau | 5,531 | 0.01% |
Map of world production of seed cotton
Share of the world total; Kenya is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
By year
| Year | Tonnes | Change | Area harvested, ha | Yield, t/ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6,234 | +61% | 16,469 | 0.38 |
| 2023 | 3,864 | +2.7% | 12,152 | 0.32 |
| 2022 | 3,762 | +189% | 8,585 | 0.44 |
| 2021 | 1,300 | −79% | 10,640 | 0.12 |
| 2020 | 6,168 | +1.5% | 13,988 | 0.44 |
| 2019 | 6,077 | +2.6% | 13,781 | 0.44 |
| 2018 | 5,923 | −59% | 13,432 | 0.44 |
| 2017 | 14,500 | −8.2% | 20,717 | 0.70 |
| 2016 | 15,800 | +0.5% | 28,700 | 0.55 |
| 2015 | 15,726 | +17% | 28,627 | 0.55 |
| 2014 | 13,472 | +4.7% | 24,322 | 0.55 |
| 2013 | 12,873 | +9.4% | 24,456 | 0.53 |
| 2012 | 11,772 | −47% | 40,208 | 0.29 |
| 2011 | 22,104 | +87% | 32,200 | 0.69 |
| 2010 | 11,822 | −21% | 24,553 | 0.48 |
| 2009 | 14,886 | −1.4% | 39,963 | 0.37 |
| 2008 | 15,093 | −40% | 43,035 | 0.35 |
| 2007 | 24,993 | +11% | 87,000 | 0.29 |
| 2006 | 22,492 | +12% | 78,400 | 0.29 |
| 2005 | 20,000 | 0.0% | 45,000 | 0.44 |
| 2004 | 20,000 | 0.0% | 50,000 | 0.40 |
| 2003 | 20,000 | 0.0% | 45,000 | 0.44 |
| 2002 | 20,000 | −18% | 42,000 | 0.48 |
| 2001 | 24,500 | +23% | 50,000 | 0.49 |
| 2000 | 20,000 | −16% | 40,000 | 0.50 |
| 1999 | 23,700 | +1.1% | 39,500 | 0.60 |
| 1998 | 23,440 | +5.2% | 38,960 | 0.60 |
| 1997 | 22,283 | −33% | 38,138 | 0.58 |
| 1996 | 33,500 | +37% | 33,436 | 1.00 |
| 1995 | 24,400 | +34% | 50,000 | 0.49 |
| 1994 | 18,200 | +12% | 50,000 | 0.36 |
| 1993 | 16,300 | −3.0% | 62,000 | 0.26 |
| 1992 | 16,800 | −45% | 56,000 | 0.30 |
| 1991 | 30,431 | +11% | 60,000 | 0.51 |
| 1990 | 27,331 | −2.4% | 66,082 | 0.41 |
| 1989 | 28,000 | +47% | 63,600 | 0.44 |
| 1988 | 19,000 | −20% | 46,000 | 0.41 |
| 1987 | 23,800 | −13% | 100,000 | 0.24 |
| 1986 | 27,430 | −28% | 150,000 | 0.18 |
| 1985 | 38,000 | +67% | 190,000 | 0.20 |
| 1984 | 22,800 | −12% | 146,000 | 0.16 |
| 1983 | 25,800 | +5.9% | 112,000 | 0.23 |
| 1982 | 24,357 | −4.4% | 106,000 | 0.23 |
| 1981 | 25,484 | −33% | 121,000 | 0.21 |
| 1980 | 38,129 | +38% | 160,000 | 0.24 |
| 1979 | 27,597 | +1.5% | 89,950 | 0.31 |
| 1978 | 27,190 | +31% | 126,000 | 0.22 |
| 1977 | 20,790 | +32% | 80,000 | 0.26 |
| 1976 | 15,803 | −2.0% | 79,000 | 0.20 |
| 1975 | 16,120 | +7.3% | 80,000 | 0.20 |
| 1974 | 15,024 | −7.1% | 53,000 | 0.28 |
| 1973 | 16,177 | −4.7% | 53,000 | 0.31 |
| 1972 | 16,981 | +1.3% | 53,000 | 0.32 |
| 1971 | 16,764 | +20% | 53,000 | 0.32 |
| 1970 | 14,017 | −18% | 80,936 | 0.17 |
| 1969 | 17,111 | +17% | 64,749 | 0.26 |
| 1968 | 14,590 | +15% | 65,000 | 0.22 |
| 1967 | 12,738 | −7.4% | 57,480 | 0.22 |
| 1966 | 13,754 | +0.8% | 57,466 | 0.24 |
| 1965 | 13,647 | +39% | 57,466 | 0.24 |
| 1964 | 9,795 | +11% | 57,830 | 0.17 |
| 1963 | 8,858 | +70% | 47,267 | 0.19 |
| 1962 | 5,201 | −43% | 51,395 | 0.10 |
| 1961 | 9,068 | — | 38,850 | 0.23 |
Questions and answers
What is the production of seed cotton in Kenya?
Kenya produced 6,234 t in 2024, 0.01% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
Where does Kenya rank in the world for production of seed cotton?
Kenya ranked 54th of 83 countries in 2024. The largest producer was China with 25.7% of the world total.
How has the production of seed cotton in Kenya changed?
It fell by 54% between 2014 and 2024, compared with −4.3% for the world. The record was 38,129 t in 1980.
What is the yield of seed cotton in Kenya?
0.4 tonnes per hectare in 2024 (6,234 t from 16,469 ha), against a world average of 2.4 t/ha.
Where does this data come from?
From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.
Other large producers
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.