State plans more cotton plants
Government has announced that plans are underway to set up more plants in cotton growing districts in a bid to promote local value addition for the commodity, thereby contributing to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Cotton currently contributes more about US$60 million to the country’s GDP.
Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry acting permanent secretary, John Mulongoti, said setting up such plants was a way of revamping the cotton value chain which offered a number of advantages such as the vast potential to spur economic diversification.
Mr. Mulongoti explained that Government had already financed and set up a small-scale cotton farmer owner gunnery in Mumbwa, through cooperative structures aimed at encouraging local value addition.
"The ministry is supporting growth of the cotton sector through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) under its Value Chain Cluster Programme. To this effect, CEEC in collaboration with the Cotton Association of Zambia has financed and set up a small-scale gunnery in Mumbwa," he said.
Mr. Mulongoti was speaking yesterday in Lusaka at the national capacity building worship on promoting cotton by-products in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Mr. Mulongoti also said Zambia welcomed investments in all sectors of the economy, particularly, those with potential for value addition to the domestic raw materials.
"It is in this regard that Government continues to promote the implementation of policies and programmes that support the growth of the cotton value chain. Government is also encouraging the cultivation of crops such as cotton, rice, wheat among others," he said.
Mr. Mulongoti also encouraged farmers to venture into production of bio fuels.
Speaking earlier, Zambia Seed Trade Association executive secretary, Watson Mwale, emphasised that cotton by-products played the biggest role in economic development.
Mr. Mwale observed that cotton by-products had been forgotten in most cases and their contribution to the economy was unforeseen.