Farmers urged to boost cotton production to sustain new ginnery

Kwale County farmers have been urged to scale up cotton production to sustain a newly established ginnery as stakeholders intensify efforts to revitalise the sector and improve farmers’ incomes.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting at Pavi Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Msambweni Sub-county, Cornelly Serem, Chairman from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) emphasized the need for increased production to meet the ginnery’s daily processing capacity of over four tonnes.

The Authority has distributed 300 kilograms of BT cotton seeds alongside pesticides to farmers in Kwale to boost planting this season.

Additionally, Bixa farmers, locally known as Mrangi growers, received 10,000 seedlings to support diversification and income generation.

The cotton factory, expected to open soon in the Kinondo area, will require more than four tonnes of cotton daily, raising concern over the current low production levels.

Jackson Ndurya, a founder of Pavi Farmers’ Cooperative Society, cited delayed seed distribution as a key challenge affecting productivity.

“Cotton is available, but accessing seeds remains a challenge. Farmers should have planted by now, yet we are only receiving seeds. Seeds must be delivered earlier to enable proper planning,” he said.

The cooperative, established in 2016, has faced significant challenges following the exit of its main sponsor, Base Titanium mining company, which ceased operations in December 2024.

“Many believed the cooperative would collapse after the company left, but with AFA’s intervention, we have regained hope and resilience. We are now focused on becoming self-sustaining,” he added.

Government interventions in the cotton sector have led to improved farm gate prices, rising from Sh52 to Sh72 per kilogram, a move aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

Acting AFA Director General Calistus Kundu challenged farmers to take advantage of the improved prices and available infrastructure by increasing acreage under cotton.

“This ginnery requires consistent supply. We must expand production. If we work together, this project can generate up to Sh 90 million annually for farmers in this region,” he said.

Farmers were also encouraged to diversify into complementary crops such as Bixa (Mrangi), which is gaining popularity due to improved market prices.

According to Sammy Kilonzo, who is a bixa farmer, they are seeing renewed interest in bixa farming because prices have improved, adding that with access to seedlings and support, more farmers will join and benefit from the crop.

Stakeholders also called for increased involvement of youth in cotton farming to bridge the production gap and sustain the industry.

Concerns were, however, raised over what farmers termed as inadequate support from the county government, with calls for enhanced investment in extension services, farm inputs, and cooperative development.

“We cannot afford to lose this facility before it begins operations. The county must rise to the occasion and support farmers,” Ndurya emphasized.

Farmers pledged to expand cotton farming and meet the demands of the upcoming ginnery.

“We are not closing down. We are not sitting back. We are moving forward and preparing for a breakthrough,” the cooperative leadership affirmed.

The renewed push is expected to position Kwale as a key cotton-producing region while strengthening the agricultural value chain at the Coast.

 By Chari Suche