According to a new analysis, Kenya’s cotton production jumped 16 percent last year due to higher-quality seed.
Cotton production grew from 3,015 tonnes in 2019 to 3,495 tonnes last year, according to data from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), despite a 45 percent decline in planting area.
Cotton was planted on 9,9987 hectares of land in 2020, a decrease from 18,000 hectares the previous year.
“Yield per acre improved due to the usage of superior seed provided to farmers by the government as farm input support during the period under review,” AFA stated.
The average price of cotton seed per kilogramme tumbled to Sh38 last year from Sh52 in 2019, prompting renegotiations between growers and processors for a compromised deal of Sh48 a kg. Heavy rains and floods in Nyanza and Western regions and the late delivery of superior seed contributed to the drop in production.
The prices for seed cotton in Western and Coastal regions were re-negotiated by stakeholders from the earlier agreed upon Sh52 per kilogramme to Sh48 due to shocks in international prices. This was during the season that the ban on commercialisation of Bt Cotton was lifted by the National Environment Management Authority.
The Agricultural and Farmers’ Association (AFA) has revealed that 10,000 acres of Hybrid Bt Cotton seeds were planted by farmers in the Western and Coastal regions last year. Siaya led with hectares under cultivation at 1,940 followed by Kitui 1,600, Homa Bay 1,383 and Busia 1,237. Areas with the least acreage were Isiolo (five), Muranga (eight), Kirinyaga (12), Kakamega (32), Migori (40), and Elgeyo Marakwet (41).
