Moi University roots for cotton production counties to support Rivatex

Moi University is mobilizing for production of more cotton to meet demands to support the university’s Rivatex Company in Eldoret.
Speaking at the Kitale National Polytechnic during training of youth and women on the use of natural dyes in the textile industry Friday, Moi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kosgei said the university has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with the cotton producing counties to increase production.
Some of the counties with whom the University has already signed MOUs are Kericho, West Pokot and Elgeiyo Marakwet as it seeks to reach out to all traditional cotton-producing counties.
Other counties targeted include Kitui and Makueni and the coastal counties where conditions favour cotton production.
“We are doing a lot of campaigns to ensure traditional cotton producing counties start planting cotton since the farmers will now have a ready market,” he said.
The VC noted that the counties which the university is working with are already mobilizing communities to grow cotton and supplying to them necessary seed.
“As the university, we assure them and create awareness that we have a big market for cotton…we are also supporting them by providing them with quality seeds to improve production,” he added.
Professor Kosgei noted that Rivatex intended to produce a range of 50,000 meters per day which more farmers to be recruited into cotton farming.
“We are currently producing 5, 000 metres of fabric per day and we consume quite a number of bales in a day. But with the expansion, we expect to have 70,000 bales per year when we shall be running at full capacity,” he said.
He hailed the national government for supporting the infrastructural development of the company and said all plans have been put in place to ensure that the cotton firm worked well.
By Pauline Ikanda