Hope rises as stakeholders move to revive cotton production

cotton farmers, who for long, have lost confidence in the production of the crop and it is affecting the entire value chain,’’ he said.

The moribund textile companies

Daily Trust visited Cotton and Agricultural Processors Ltd, formerly BCGA in Malumfashi, Katsina State and found that the place was a shadow of its former self.

According to Lado Mani, a technical staff of the company, lack of power supply was the major setback for BCGA over the years.

“No one needs any explanation on power problems in this country, especially as it affects industries. Our only functional generator stopped working four years ago. When the place was working full time, we were producing 120 bales of lint cotton in 12 hours but gradually it started reducing to 100, 80 and subsequently 50 bales before its total closure in 2014,” said Lado.

He said besides a number of labourers who were carrying out manual jobs for stipends, there were about 500 members of staff who were earning a living in the company.

Lado called on the Federal Government to come to the rescue of ginneries so that farmers can have easy access to process their cotton.

Ahmad Nasir Sada of ABM Seeds and Agro Company, Malumfashi, told Daily Trust that the price of cotton had started appreciating since last year.

“Perhaps due to its declining market supply over the years and high rate of forex, the price of cotton has started appreciating since last year. We are now buying it from farmers at between N170,000 to N180,000 per ton,” he said.