The government has been forced to import quality cotton seeds from west African countries in a bid to boost production, Industrialization Principal Secretary, Dr. Juma Mukhwana has disclosed.
Dr. Mukhwana said that through the office of the president, seeds had to be procured from Togo, Chad and Benin to boost the locally available variety that could not sufficiently meet the needs.
He was speaking at the Siaya Institute of technology grounds in Siaya town when he, together with his cooperative’s counterpart, Patrick Kilemi and Siaya governor, James Orengo distributed cotton seeds worth Sh25 million to the local farmers.
Dr. Mukhwana said that Siaya has been registering a steady growth in cotton production since 2022 when it had just 5,000 acres under the crop.
“Last year, we scaled up to 40,000 acres and this year we are looking at having 103,000 acres under cotton” he said.
He urged local farmers to embrace cotton production, adding that the government was keen on ensuring that they get the best prices for their produce.
“Last year, cotton price was Sh 52 per kilogram. By the end of 2023, we sat down and reviewed the cost of production and came up with a new price of Sh 65” he said adding that currently, cotton was being bought at between Sh. 65 to Sh 72 per kilogram.
Kilemi, the Principal Secretary for cooperatives development challenged Siaya farmers to ensure that the county goes back to its glorious days when its economy was anchored on cotton.
Siaya governor, James Orengo called on the national government not to give up on the local farmers who, he added, needed support to go back to cotton farming.
Orengo said it was a shame that the country relied on imports of materials and food that could be grown locally.
“It is time we wake up and grow these crops ourselves and make sure that the factories are here in our counties” said the governor.
He said that his government was committed to promoting local production and gave an example of a new rice mill in Siriwo in Usonga location that is almost complete.
He said that this will enable local farmers mill their rice locally instead of selling the produce to a neighbouring country at a throw away price.
The occasion was also attended by Siaya Deputy County Commissioner, Robert Ng’etich, County Secretary Joseph Ogutu and the speaker of the Siaya county assembly, George Okode among others.
By Philip Onyango
