Mozambique targets 100,000 tons of raw cotton this season

24 Jun '13

2 min read

Mozambique Cotton Institute has set a target of producing 100,000 tons of raw cotton during the ongoing cotton season that has already begun.

The target fixed by the Mozambican Cotton Institute is 46 percent less than 184,000 tons of cotton produced during previous season.

However, the Cotton Institute Director Norberto Mahalambe said that the reduced production expectations is not a matter of concern, as it is still higher than the long term estimations of 92,000 tons of raw cotton, macauhub reported citing daily newspaper Noticias.

Cotton production in Mozambique grew from 41,000 tons in 2010 to 65,000 in 2011 and reached 184,000 tons last year.

The splendid rise in 2012 production, which pushed the region’s average yield to 900 kg per hectare, is attributable to several factors including favourable weather conditions and a large number of farmers undertaking cotton cultivation.

Mr. Mahalambe said it is a challenge for them to maintain last season’s yield levels in the current season, which would require them to continue supplying high-quality, certified and treated seeds and enhanced technical support to the producers.

As against last season’s 298,000 families last year, around 250,000 families have engaged in cotton production this season, he added.

Noting that the cotton production volumes last season surprised the farmers as well as the cotton firms, and they failed to procure and transport the entire produce in time, Mr. Mahalamba assured that they would not allow reoccurrence of any such problems this year.

Speaking at an occasion last year, Mr. Mahalamba stated that raw cotton production in the country may reach record 200,000 tons per annum level by 2020.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

More Textiles News - Mozambique...