MACHAKOS, Kenya – Yatta cotton farmers in Machakos County have benefited from local textile sector pricing increases, which increased cotton prices from Sh50 to Sh72 per kilogramme.
This move ends years of annoyance stemming from intermediaries and brokers.
Farmers in the semi-arid region welcomed the growth, noting that the returns were better than when they farmed beans and maize.
The farmers, led by David Katiku from Ndalani’s Kiwanzani district, expressed confidence about the government’s support for cotton production and their assistance from the clothing industry.
Why Machakos farmers will be inspired to plant cotton
After selling 700 kg of cotton from his one-acre farm for Sh50,000, Kitiku claimed he could invest in additional projects and pay his children’s school fees.
“Because of the disappointment of insufficient rainfall, I have never made as much money from growing beans and corn. To get better yields the next year, I intend to increase my cotton area,” Kitiku stated.
He was speaking as Thika Cloths Mills, a local company providing farmers with seeds, insecticides, and other agricultural inputs, was purchasing their produce.
According to CEO Tejal Dothia, the government’s increasing emphasis on cotton production aligns with the support provided to farmers.
Speaking to the farmers, Tejal promised them the company’s ongoing support and added that their engagement with the government will ensure the timely delivery of seers and other inputs.
“The firm distributed Sh 50 million seeds to counties that grew cotton last season. We expect a more seamless planting season because the government has acquired even more seeds this year, Tejal added.
What Machakos coffee farmers want from the government
Francis Kilango, a spokesman of the cotton farming cooperative in the area, demanded that the county and national governments provide farmers with additional insecticides and other agricultural inputs.
Kilango, who also serves as the chairman of the Uvouni Cotton Farmers Cooperative Society, advocated for additional collaborations to raise the price of cotton to more than Sh 100 per kilogram.
“We are grateful for the return of cotton growing and the support we are receiving. Especially in semi-arid areas, this has enabled many farmers to at least make a living,” he said.
Regarding agricultural inputs, he advocated for simplified regulations to guarantee that all farmers receive seeds ahead of schedule, thus increasing crop output.
“For instance, Makueni County, another semi-arid region that depends on cotton farming, did not plant cotton due to the unavailability of seeds,” he said.
