Farmers in Ruiri Rwarera, Buuri East sub-county have been urged to join Cotton cooperative societies in the area so as to benefit from BT Cotton seedling distribution initiative ahead of the planting season.
Former nominated MCA in the Meru County Assembly Betty Kinya Kiambati disclosed that the area is rich in black cotton, the type of soil agriculture best known for Cotton farming.
Speaking while addressing residents at Tutua market, she noted that farmer registration was ongoing at the Tutua Cotton Cooperative office.
“Registration for farmers is ongoing so that we plan for the volume of seedlings we need for our farmers. I call upon you to take the advantage before we are out. Let’s all join the cooperative for easy planning,” said Kinya.
The former MCA noted that unlike other regions in the county, the Cotton crop does very well due to the area’s climate.
“For those who did not plant last season, we had a bumper harvest and the prices were attractive,” she said.
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Kinya also noted that the data that will be collected during registration will help in identifying farmers to be targeted as beneficiaries of other farm inputs among them fertilizer and other agricultural chemicals.
Currently, through ginneries and partners, farmers in the region are able to easily access the cotton variety which was introduced by the national government during Peter Munya’s tenure as the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS).
Charles Muchena, a cotton farmer from Mumui Tigania West, noted that the BT variety has high yields compared to the traditional one.
“When the BT crop variety was introduced to us, we realized increased harvest. An acre can produce up to 1,000 kilos compared to the legacy varieties where we used to harvest 600 kilos per acre,” he said.
By John Majau
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