Government pledges to revive textile industry

Chiefs and Assistant chiefs in Siaya County receive cotton seed for growing during this rain season. [Mike Kihaki, Standard]

The cotton industry in the country is set to receive a new lease of life after the government pledged to upscale the production of the product in the country.

The government said farmers will receive free chemicals and training to ensure the crop is effectively managed for maximum yields to be realized and is expected to provide enough raw materials for local textile industries and for export.

This is going to be achieved through a collaboration between the State Department for Industrialization and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rift Vale Textile (Rivatex).

Speaking during the launch of the program in Ahero, Kisumu County, The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, explained that Kenya produces 28,000 bales of cotton annually against a requirement of 140,000 bales.

"The parks will actively engage in ginning, clothes and textile to create employment opportunities for the youth,'' Dr Mukhwana said.

The PS further said, the government aimed at reviving the one time vibrant textile industry which in the 80's and 90's was dominated by Kicomi, Raymonds, Kenknit and Thika Cotton Mills by addressing the collapsed cotton value chain.

"I challenge the leaders in the Provincial Administration, Members of the County Assembly, youth and women to join the bandwagon and plant BT cotton to enjoy economic benefits," he added.

The government has injected Sh7 billion to modernize Rift Valley Textile mills (Rivatex) and revived Luanda ginnery in Busia, but owing to the collapsed cotton value chain, the facilities were operating below capacity.

To meet the demand, the industries are forced to outsource 80 per cent of the raw material from India, China and the rest of East Africa.

He affirmed that the SDI had embarked on the establishment of County Aggregated Industrial Parks (CAIPs) country wide including in the 24 counties where cotton and textiles will be a flagship industry.

Dr Mukhwana said the initiative will profit farmers in Kisumu, Siaya, Homabay, Migori, Bungoma and Busia counties.

He noted that a vibrant cotton sector will reduce the cost of production per liter of milk and help address the shortage of the commodity in the country.

The PS led his colleagues Kello Harsama, State Department for Crops and Patrick Kilemi, State Department for Co-operatives on different tours distributing cotton seeds in Kisumu, Busia, Bungoma and Siaya counties.

They began an exercise to provide 15.8 tonnes of modified Biotechnology cotton seed worth Sh.51 million to cotton growing Counties in Nyanza and western regions.

The tour brought on board Kisumu Governor, Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o, Paul Otuoma of Busia, Kenneth Lusaka of Bungoma and James Orengo of Siaya.

Kilemi stated that the seeds being distributed through the Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCO's) will assist in strengthening the cotton value chain in the country.

"This will have a ripple effect on the dairy sub-sector with the cotton seed cake made readily available for the production of dairy meals," Kilemi said.

Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Acting Director General Beatrice Nyamwanu reiterated that the renewed focus to rejuvenate the sector was set to scale up production which presently stands at 3000 metric tonnes.

She confirmed that 20,000 farmers have been registered through the various SACCOs. She added that this is proof that the free seeds initiative will automatically give incentives to more farmers in the sub-sector.

According to the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) survey, high production costs and fierce competition from low-cost imports, coupled with low agricultural output, particularly in food crops and the Covid -19 pandemic are cited as the most significant factors responsible for the decelerated development.