South Africa is the sixth largest producer of cotton in the world and it contributes 5% of global production. The country has three main growing regions: Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. Cotton is mostly grown for export but they also produced some cotton for local consumption.
Cotton in South Africa is mainly grown in two provinces, namely the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.
Cotton production is concentrated in the eastern half of the province from Jamestown in the north to Middelburg in the south. The total area under cultivation during the 2012/2013 season was 26 604 ha, which represents only about 1% of South Africa’s total agricultural land surface.
Mpumalanga Province lies to the east of Gauteng and consists mainly of highveld grassland with some bushveld and savannah areas, as well as one large area which has been cleared for commercial farming purposes.
