Benin plans major boost for its cotton industry by building 184-kilometer road. It will link northern cotton fields with southern processing plants. The road runs from Djougou to Banikoara,an area producing over a third of the country's cotton — often called "white gold".
Africa’s biggest cotton producer,Benin has long faced infrastructure issues that slowed cotton transport to Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou . GDIZ is crucial for government efforts to cut raw cotton exports. Currently, only about 20% of national yield gets processed into garments for brands like US Polo Assn and The Children’s Place.
Aristide Medenou,new Finance Minister,stressed road project's importance,pointing to Banikoara's strategic location. With help from Chinese experts,the project aims to ease transport and boost local processing. This could change Benin’s cotton industry.
It's a big move toward updating the sector and boosting economic prospects. Better logistics might lure more investment and improve production efficiency…
