LOME, May 23 (Reuters) - Togo’s cotton production in the 2018/19 season increased by 17% to 137,000 tonnes, the government said on Thursday, but fell short of its original target of 140,000 tonnes.

Some 180,000 hectares were cultivated, up from 168,000 in 2017/18, said Nana Nanfame, director of the national agency overseeing the sector.

Farmers were paid 285 CFA francs ($0.4889) per kilogram, up from 250 CFA francs a year earlier, Nanfame said.