Zambia must increase its cotton farmer base to at least 50,000 if the revival of Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles is to drive a meaningful recovery of the country’s cotton industry, says the Cotton Association of Zambia (CAZ).
In an interview with Diamond News, CAZ Executive Director John Ngwenyama says the current target of 2,000 outgrower farmers remains too low compared with the more than 300,000 farmers who were previously involved in cotton production.
He says Zambia produced about 175,000 tonnes of cotton at its peak during the 2011/2012 farming season, demonstrating the scale of production needed to support a thriving textile industry.
Mr Ngwenyama says increasing the number of farmers and the supply of raw materials will not only support the textile plant but also create more jobs across the cotton value chain.
He is also encouraging farmers to return to cotton production, saying the revival of the textile industry provides hope for a stronger local market and better bargaining power for farmers.
By Best Jere
