Embu gets serious about cotton

BY JOSEPH MUCHIRI

COTTON IN EMBU: The Embu County government has kicked off an ambitious drive to revive the cotton sub-sector.

Cotton had for years been farmed in Mbeere region, but the sub-sector virtually collapsed due to lack of market. The problem was compounded when the Mwea ginnery defaulted on payment to farmers for delivered cotton.

In an effort to revive the sector and make it profitable, the county government has announced a price of between Sh42 and Sh45 per kilogramme of cotton, up from Sh35, starting with the cotton in farmers’ stores.

The county has also distributed 27, 000 kilos of cotton seeds donated by an investor, while agricultural officials are offering extension services to enable farmers increase efficiency in production.

The county’s agriculture minister, Dr Patrisio Njiru, said they plan to increase production of cotton to 45,000 tonnes per year that would sustain a cotton factory to be built in the area.

“We have signed a memorandum of understanding with an investor to put up a cotton factory in the county that will manufacture finished clothing items. The investor will buy all the cotton we produced,” he said.

He added that the factory would create employment opportunities for over 200 youths.

Guaranteed market

Farmers, on the other hand, said if they are guaranteed a market, they will increase the acreage under the crop.

They said they lost hope in cotton’s potential after toiling on their farm for months and using expensive chemicals only to lack buyers.

Njue wa Sumuni, a cotton farmer from Kamumu area in Mbeere North, said the cotton they harvested in July is still in stores for lack of a market.

“It is painful watching the harvest get destroyed by pests,” he added.

Sumuni said some farmers stash their cotton in gunny bags which children then sleep on or play with.

“Since Mwea Ginnery stopped buying our cotton, we have had nowhere to sell it. We’ve been forced to sell it to brokers at throwaway prices.”

John Mbogo, the representative of Karambari cotton farmers, still recalls the days when cotton had good returns and farmers could take their children through school using the money they earned from their produce.

“But these days, we cannot even afford the chemicals we require to spray the crop. Farmers are ready to grow and tend their cotton only if assured of a market. This area is suitable for growing cotton, and if farmers are motivated, they can produce high-grade cotton,” he said.

Njiru said he would conduct an audit to determine how much farmers are owed by the Mwea Ginnery, and ensure they are paid.

Embu Deputy Governor Dorothy Nditi also urged cotton farmers not to give up on growing the crop.