Kwale cotton farmers have called on the incoming government to set up a cotton processing factory as promised for years.
The ginnery was to be set up at Kinondo in Msambweni subcounty as part of efforts to revitalise the cotton and textile industry nationwide.
It was to be built in partnership with Australian mining firm Base Titanium at Pamba na Viazi (PAVI) business park. Australian apparel firm Cotton On buys cotton from PAVI, a cotton-growing cooperative .
PAVI cooperative was started in 2015 by Base Titanium to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and the community. It trains in better agricultural techniques.
Farmers' chairman Jackson Ndurya complained on Saturday it has taken the government too long to fulfil its promises.
"We were expecting the ginnery in 2021 but we heard there were challenges," he told reporters.
Ndurya said the project was budgeted for 2019-20 but the money was diverted to other regions.
The factory was expected to have six gins capable of producing 1,800 kilogrammes per day, each producing about 600kg of lint.
It would have manufacturing plant, warehouse and offices.
Ndurya said farmers have made great strides in cotton-growing. He attributed this largely to the approval of genetically modified cotton, known as BT cotton.
BT cotton has a higher yield and is resistant to pests, especially the African bollworm.
Farmers anticipate harvesting at least 75,000 tonnes of cotton this season.
Ndurya said farmers are incurring losses because they have to travel long distances for value-addition of ginning and marketing.
Kwale farmers take their cotton to Makueni for ginning and further processing.
The chairman said 20 tonnes cost about Sh60,000 for transport.
"When a local factory is available, we will be all the profits and benefits from Bt cotton," he said.
Farmer Kilalo Ramadhan urged the government to fulfill its promises, saying a factory will create jobs for unemployed youth and uplift the community.
The weather and environment in Kwale are ideal for cotton, he said, and the crop has great potential.
"We are getting a lot of money from cotton growing but it all goes back cover transportation and processing expenses," Ramadhan said.
Business for Development consultant Eliud Korir said cotton growing produces fabric, seeds produce oil and the waste is used to manufacture livestock feed.
All the jobs and benefits of Kwale cotton are being transferred to Makueni, he said.
The PAVI cotton-growing cooperative has partnered with Australian apparel firm Cotton On. They are supported by Base Titanium, which mines mineral sands in Kwale.
Korir said cotton growing can reduce the cost of living and food production, if the processing plant is built.
"Actually, this crop can make cheap feed for our livestock, lowering the cost of milk and meat production," he said.
He urged farmers to put more effort into cotton growing, saying production is still low in Kenya.
Kenya produces about 25,000 bales of lint but the government has put measures in place to raise production to 65,000 bales.
Eddy Chibu from Business for Development said they are working closely with Cotton On, an Australian apparel company.
He said they want cotton products to be processed locally in Kwale to motivate farmers and improve their livelihoods.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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