Govt woos cotton farmers with seeds deal

In a bid to revive cotton industry, the government targets at least 600,000 farmers in planting of cotton.

Trade and Industrialization cabinet secretary Adan Mohammed said there are over 20 counties which have the right conditions for cotton farming, adding the government will be providing financial and technical support.

The ministry working in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture will issue 500 million shillings to buy hybrid seedlings that will increase productivity.

He said there are only 25,000 bells of cotton planted in the country adding that plans are underway to increase the amount to 300,000 in five year’s time.

“We have established that in an acre of cotton farm planted with the traditional seedlings only 800 kilos are produced. With the hybrid seeds, one can produce double of the old seeds,” Mr Mohammed said.

He was speaking in Kwale County during the launch of construction of a Sh100 million cotton ginnery at Kinondo ward in Msambweni Sub-County.

The factory is set to boost Kenya cotton manufacturing sector which has also been practiced by farmers in Kwale.

The ginnery is in partnership with Base Titanium, Kwale county government and cotton farmers.

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Trade Base Titanium farming agriculture Adan Mohamed KWALE export cotton Manufacturing textile

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