Sh200m ginnery to boost Embu cotton farming

Plans are underway to build a Sh200 million ginnery in Embu County as the government embarks on reviving the cotton sector.

The ginnery, which will process cotton farmed in Embu and neighbouring counties, will be financed by the national government while the Embu County Government will provide land in the Mbeere region, the Embu Agriculture Executive, Jamleck Muturi, has said.

“Cotton was the economic mainstay for farmers in the dry, lower parts of the county in the 1980s and 1990s but it has been declining due to low returns and pests infestation. The national government has an agenda to revive cotton productivity and profitability. We have partnered in this,” said Dr Muturi.

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The executive revealed that farmers had abandoned cotton farming to the extent that last year the county produced only 1,500kgs despite its ability to churn out millions of kilos.

“Jointly with the national government we will sensitise, recruit and train the farmers, help them form cooperatives, provide them with free high quality seed-hybrids and bt cotton- while the ginnery will provide a ready market for the crop,” said Dr Muturi.

The executive said they project to produce 1.4 million kilos of cotton annually while the harvest from neighbouring counties such as Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi will ensure continuous raw material to the ginnery.

He spoke when members of the The National Steering Committee on the Revitalisation and Revival of Cotton and Pyrethrum Value Chains visited Embu on a fact finding mission on cotton farming.

Chairman of the sub-committee on cotton Mwarapayo Wamwachai said they plan to set up five ginneries to serve the 21 cotton growing counties.

He said in the State’s agenda to promote industrial crops, cotton farming was set to become a leading cash crop with market for it readily available in the revived textile factories such as Kicomi and Rivatex.

“We are moving from county to county to determine where to put up ginneries. The government will also distribute seeds to farmers and provide technical officers to equip farmers with skills and expertise on cotton farming,” he said.

Wamwachai said they were impressed by the plans Embu County Government has put in place in its cotton revival agenda.

The ginnery is expected to create employment opportunities and ultimately improve the livelihoods of farmers.