2023: Bad year for cotton farmers, sector
The cotton sector, once touted as one of the country’s top export earners, had a tough season this year.
Although prices rose by an average of 24 percent, with growers selling their commodity up to K720 per kilogramme (kg), growers’ earnings tumbled to K5.9 billion from K10 billion generated the previous year.
This year, the minimum price was K580 per kg.
During the year under review, the country produced 10 000 metric tonnes (MT) of cotton, far below the previous year’s 19 500MT and below the country’s ginning capacity of 600 000MT.
Cotton Farmers Association of Malawi president Dickson Gundani, whose association operates in 15 cotton-growing districts, said: “It has not been an easy ride this season because of rising cost of production.”
Chikwawa District cotton officer Francis Masitila said due to high cost of production, a lot of farmers had switched to growing sesame.
He said: “Due to scarcity of seeds, other farmers recycled their crops, which is not allowed because seed was expensive.
“A farmer needed at least K130 000 from seeds while pesticides were fetching between K1 000 and K1 500 per bottle.
Industry regulator Cotton Council of Malawi has since described the season as poor due to low production.
However, the council is optimistic that the industry can be revived and contribute to economic growth if government can pump in K19.6 billion to generate about $424.3 million (K721 billion) in five years.
The council’s chief executive officer Cosmas Luwanda said they developed a five-year plan to boost output, exports, create jobs, empower farmers financially and promote food security.
“Cotton can generate substantial amounts of forex into the country if we can support it adequately,” he said.
According to the council, with a K19.6 billion injection spread over five years, the council projects to increase production to 100 000MT per year, which can earn the country $125 million and create 40 000 jobs along the cotton value chain.
Through the Malawi Cotton Development Strategy, Malawi aspired to increase cotton output to 600 000MT by 2024.
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