Cotton farming season kicks off in Geita

Geita Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Robert Luhumbi, said at the launch of the new cotton planting season held at Buharahara Village that more than 66,000 farmers in the region are expected to cultivate cotton this year.

“The government is committed to seeing farmers benefiting from cotton cultivation for their-wellbeing as well as supporting the quest to have sufficient raw materials for the textile industries,” he said.

In the 2016/17 cotton farming season, the region planned to cultivate 67,002 hectares with expectation of producing 93,343 tons of cotton. However, a total of 24,791 hectares were cultivated that produced 13,267.82 tons of cotton seeds worth 15,926,181,600/-.

He urged farmers to use both urea and di-ammonium phosphate fertilisers sold under government cap prices to boost yields. He called on District Commissioners (DCs) and District Executive Directors (DEDs) to ensure that they are supervising well the cotton cultivation season and ensure it brings productivity and redeem farmers economically for the welfare of their lives.

He said cotton is the main cash crop cultivated in all five districts of the region to generate farmers’ income to meet basic needs such as food, health care, education and better shelter.

Geita RC commended civil servants especially those from agriculture sector who joined forces in the cotton cultivation, warning them not to forget their basic responsibilities of educating farmers on how to engage in best farming practices for better yields.

More than 100 civil servants from Geita Region joined in the cotton contract farming to boost individual income and as part of supporting industrialisation drive.

An agriculture officer from Geita Town Council, Ms Leunida Clemence, planning to cultivate four cotton acres, said her engagement in farming will encourage farmers to undergo modern cotton farming to boost productivity.

“This initiative we have taken will help farmers who are desperate to cultivate cotton, because they will have a farm field of learning from us on how to improve cotton cultivation,” she said.

SOURCE: DAILY NEWS

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