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{
    "id": 1379749,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1379749/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 145,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) John K Mutunga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "stakeholders to know how much of land we can open to cotton, and how much seed we can produce. We can go as far as having contract farming that will help us to locate or to lock up the market. We have seen developments in the agricultural sector which are guaranteeing returns to farmers. We have seen guaranteed minimum return to coffee at Ksh80 per kilogramme of cherry and we are moving towards guaranteeing a kilogramme of milk at Ksh50. This is the point at which we need to work out our arithmetic very carefully, and guarantee cotton farmers that once they produce, they will sell at a particular price per kilogramme. That way, we will help the farmers to make informed decisions which will help us to increase the production of cotton. Production in this country, lately, has been quite volatile. The volatility has been brought about by the fact that the industry players are not sure. The promises they give are not certain and production cannot be targeted to a specific known market. In structuring the value chain, we need to know the handlers in the cotton industry. Who are the first off-takers from the farmers? How are they organised to cover an area comprehensively and take all cotton produced there? How are they then linked to the market? How is this market growing? That is so that we can advise our farmers very carefully. Right now, as few as they are, maybe 15 ginneries, our industries are importing cotton from countries like Uganda and Tanzania. They do not have better land to produce cotton or better personnel to advise on cotton production. They do not have better farmers to grow cotton. They also do not have as hard-working farmers as we have. They are only a little bit more organised. Why can we not be organised as a country? That is why this Bill is important. Let me talk a bit about the mills that we have. They are 1900s innovations. They are very old. With the changing times and fortunes, their processing capacity, efficiency, and effectiveness have become outdated. They are using outdated technology. Technology has changed. If serious about revitalising this industry, we must change the processors. We must improve the mills. There are certain costs related to cotton processing. If you listen to the stakeholders we had as a Committee, we have listened to them extensively. One of the key issues they are bringing out strongly is the cost of electricity. It is costly in this country. We need to focus on subsidising electricity where we can see immense potential for production and growth. In this industry, we need to see how to focus on subsidising electricity because processors will need more electricity. Let me pause by asking a question. Why do we say that cotton is an important industry? First, it is a labour-intensive industry. It requires human labour to produce, weed, spray and harvest cotton. No machine has been invented to harvest cotton. Human beings will have to pick cotton. The harvesting of that cotton will require human beings. Collection of cotton and the management attributes of lint as it is ferried to the ginneries will require human labour. We have a sufficient supply of human labour. We are advantaged. The question is, why should we not take advantage of this particular situation? The second key issue of this industry is its intensive and extensive link to other sectors. Cotton links to other sectors because many people use cotton products. Today, everyone in this honourable House is wearing a cotton product. If you go out there, you will find people in cotton products. Cotton is an important crop and industry that needs support. I do not need to dwell much on the Bill because Hon. Mary Emaase has done it. The importance of the industry to stakeholders is key. That is why it would be important for us, as Members of our Committee, to speak to that. To sum up or close, I would like to say two things. One, what is the guiding principle when it comes to supporting important productive sectors in this country? We need to answer that question as a country. We should answer it very carefully and get the correct answer. What is the guiding principle for supporting a productive sector? If you look at agriculture and rural and urban development, you will find that agriculture has only been given a paltry 3.5 per cent in the current Budget Policy Statement The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}