By Malachi Motano
Uyoma Farmers’ Cooperative Society (UFCS) has secured Sh10m grant from the County government of Siaya to facilitate repairing of Madiany Cotton Ginnery in Rarieda sub-county.
The ginnery stopped operations about seven years ago with more than 3500 farmers left with nowhere to sell their produce.
Since then many farmers have abandoned cotton farming, leaving the few who stuck to the crop forced to ferry their produce all the way to Makueni County for processing.
According to Mathews Otieno, the Uyoma farmers’ Cooperative Society chairman the machines at the ginnery are expected to start roaring in few weeks’ time.
He said the introduction of BT cotton saw a number of cotton farmers who had acquit the exercise return to growing the crop which led to the need to revive the cotton ginnery.
“We have managed to register about 2500 farmers who have been given BT cotton seeds with the promise that there will be a ready market for their produce. They had been assured that they will not have to take their produce all the way to Makueni,” Otieno said.
He noted that part of the money the group secured from the County will be used to acquire one ginning machine complete with conveyer belt, pre-cleaner, trolley, oil filter, and power back-ups. He said since the money was wired directly to the contractor and the replacement of the old wiring system has already begun.
The farmers were each given 2kg of BT cotton seeds ahead of their planting season.
Wilson Haya from Chamakwaro is among who held onto cotton farming despite of the collapse of Madiany Ginnery and the many challenges that came with it.
“Before the collapse of the ginnery I had about five acres under coton. It was my main source of income that even with the collapse of the ginnery; I did not stop cotton farming. I only reduced the land under cotton to 2 acres, and used the rest of the land to grow other crops. With the revival of the Ginnery, I will again expand my cotton farming,” he said.
UFCS Chairman said farmers would harvest up to 800 kg of seed cotton from an acre that would produce about 300kg of cotton lint.
Simon Adele, an extension officer Mahyo, BT cotton producer said farmers will be able to get up to 1300 kilos from an acre. The new variety of cotton is said to be resistant to Bollworm and is high yielding.
“Today, a kilo of the seed goes for between Sh48 and Sh54. This means farmers will be able to get money from cotton farming,” he said.
Zedekiah Adul, the secretary of Uyoma farmers’ cooperative society said many farmers are already seeking extension services, as they plan to go back to cotton farming.
“We hope production will be high so that we create employment for the many youths who are migrating to the urban centres,” he said.
