Swazi govt sets up ginnery to boost cotton production

08 Feb '14

2 min read

The Government of Swaziland, located in southern Africa, has set up a ginnery in Big Bend town, as part of its measures to boost cotton production in the country, reports Swazi Observer.

Bongani Masuku, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, said the ginnery would process cotton for local farmers, who supply cotton to both domestic and export markets.

The construction of ginnery in eastern part of Swaziland would serve the purpose of providing raw material to the domestic textile industry, while also creating a market for local cotton growers, Mr. Masuku said.

The aim of the ginnery project is to reduce the dependence on imports of cotton by local textile companies, give a boost to local cotton production, and to meet local demand as well as supply to export markets, he added.

The setting up of the ginnery would increase cotton production, and would also reduce the lead time for companies that source cotton from outside Swaziland.

For local cotton growers, the ginnery would help them improve their livelihood.

Mr. Masuku said due to the increase in the cost of living, farmers are now concentrating on other crops that give lucrative returns. However, the Ministry was encouraging them to also grow cotton and not abandon it entirely.

He said the number of farmers growing cotton in Swaziland had been improving, compared to the previous years.

He added that buyers of cotton should offer more price so as to lure farmers to grow more.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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