State increases cotton prices by 38pc to woo more farmers
Cotton farm. The government has announced a 38 percent price increase in the purchase of cotton as it moves to entice more farmers to return to the crop. FILE PHOTO | POOL
The government has announced a 38 percent price increase in the purchase of cotton as it moves to entice more farmers to return to the crop as part of a plan to double production to export to the US market.
State Department of Industry Principal Secretary(PS) Juma Mukwana said last week the government had allocated Sh60 million to support local farmers to increase the acreage under production from 40,000 in 2023 to 103,000 ahead of long rains in the 24 cotton-growing counties.
“The pricing committee had announced Sh65 per kilo but we decided to adjust the prices to Sh72 per kilo to enable our farmers to break-even so as to enable them to access inputs. We want to partner with counties to increase production,” explained the PS, who represented Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.
The PS said that the government has also acquired 60 metric tons from Togo for seed multiplication to address acute cotton seed shortages.
Already, the State plans to distribute more than 27 tonnes of open-pollinated cotton seeds and BT cotton seeds to support farmers increase yields to meet demand for apparel in local and international markets.
He said that the open-pollinated cotton seeds produce about 250 and 300 kg per acre while BT cotton yields over 500 kilograms per acre
“We have pumped in Sh5 billion to modernise Rivatex but they are struggling to get raw materials forcing them to import over 60 percent from India and China. We want to also work with the counties to ensure that we bring together farmers in cooperative societies in each of the wards,” observed the PS, noting that the State plans to increase the acreage to over 340,000 in next three years.
Rivatex boss Prof Thomas Kipkurgat said the firm has not met the Agoa conditions to produce fabric from 100 per cent locally sourced raw materials due to shortages of the materials in the country.
“We are keen to see more yields by providing ready markets,” said Prof Kipkurgat.
