Press releases - 2026 April 23
Warmly welcomed by the people of Vélingara, the President of the Republic then visited the SODEFITEX plant, marking a highly significant stage of his economic tour.
Through this visit, the strategic importance of the cotton sector is brought into sharp focus. For over 50 years, it has served rural communities by structuring economic activity, supporting incomes, strengthening food security, and contributing to territorial stability. The sector supports more than 16,000 producers, covers over 20,000 hectares, and provides livelihoods for more than 500,000 people. It also generates between 400 and 700 direct jobs depending on production levels, including 270 permanent positions, and distributes 3.5 billion CFA francs in income to producers and rural stakeholders.
This sequence reflects a clear direction set by the Head of State. Territorial development cannot be sustainable unless it is anchored in sectors capable of creating value close to production areas. In this regard, SODEFITEX stands out as a driver of economic sovereignty, rural development, employment for youth and women, and national industrialization.
Today, the sector’s recovery momentum is opening up new prospects. With more than 25,000 tons of seed cotton and over 10,000 tons of cotton fiber produced in 2025–2026, and a target of 100,000 tons by 2030, this visit underscores that a territory advances when the State works to strengthen the productive, industrial, and social foundations of its prosperity.