International Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences- ISSN (2522-6584) May & June 2022 June 30, 2022 Page 10 Performance of proven Cotton Varieties Demonstrated and It economic return to producers in case of Afar Region, Ethiopia Author’s Details: 1 Adem Kedir, Getenet Belay 2 , Merdasa Balcha 3 1 Tesfay Tura Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Werer Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Extension and communication research 1 ; Socio-economic research 2 ; National Cotton breeding research 3 ; Werer, Ethiopia. *Corresponding Author:ademkedir@gmail.com Received Date: 27-Apr-2022 Accepted Date: 29-May-2022 Published Date: 30-June-2022 __________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract Cotton is an important crop commodity in Ethiopian agriculture and source of cash for the producers, creates huge job opportunities and hard currency for the country through export of various products. Despite the importance of the crop; low productivity, poor access of improved varieties and extension services are some of the constraint of cotton production at middle Awash basin. This study was done to assess yield performance, gap and economic return of new cotton verities (Werer-50 and Weyto-07) to the producers. A total of 90 cotton producers were participated in demonstration. Demonstrated Werer-50 variety has 16.429% to 15.60 %, while; Weyto-07 variety has 17.92% to 18.35% yield advantage at Amibara and Gewane districts, respectively. The benefit cost ratios for improved cotton variety was 2.02 and 1.71birr for local deltapine-90. The result of benefit cost ratio indicated that the producers were obtained 2.02 birr for each birr invested on improved cotton varieties and 1.71 Birr for local check. In general, the demonstrated cotton varieties in the areas were shown significant impact on productivity and profitability. Therefore, the study recommends that; strengthen effective and efficient delivery of technological promotion methods such as capacity building and close extension support will be advised to reduce knowledge and productivity gaps and shortage of alternative proven cotton varieties in the study area. Key words: Producers, Demonstration, Cotton Varieties, cost-benefit _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. INTRODUCTION Cotton crop is deep-rooted in the history of Ethiopian agriculture. It is an important crop commodity in Ethiopian agriculture and the lives cotton farmers. It is source of cash for the growers and hard currency for the country through export of various products and creates huge job opportunities (Melesse et, al 2019 and NCRS 2016). Ethiopia has an estimated area of 2.6 million hectares suitable for cotton production. Of this 65% or 1.69 million ha is found in high potential cotton producing areas of Awash, Omo, Ghibe, Wabi-Shebelle, Baro- Akobo, Blue Nile and Tekeze river basins. From the total land under cotton cultivation, 33% is cultivated by small holders, 45% by private farms and 22% are state-owned farms. But, Ethiopia shares only 5% of total cotton produced in Africa. Recently Ethiopia cultivates only 780,000 ha of the total suitable land for cotton production which account three percent and produces an average of 33,842.11 metric tons in the year 2000– 2018 and earned an average of $ 14,336,667 from export market in the last decade and employs about 52,754 smallholder farmers (Admassie, Seid, May, Megquier, & Moreland, 2015, ICAC, 2014) site by Melesse et, al. 2019 However despite` the importance of the crop on overall economic development in general and for textile industry specifically, cotton growers have faced different constraints. Low productivity, poor access of