Farmers assured quality Cotton Production in Katsina
Cotton farmers in Katsina State have reiterated their commitment to the promotion of quality cotton production and management in the State.
The farmers made the commitment recently during a training workshop tagged: “Modern Cotton Farming Practice with Emphasis on Measures to Ensure Quality Cotton in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the State.”
The workshop was organized by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the National Cotton Traders Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), Ginning Company (CGC), Dangote Ginnery, the Bato Ginnery and the Cotton and Agricultural Processing Company (CAP) Ginnery.
In a remark at the workshop, the Katsina State Secretary of NACOTAN, Samaila Lawal said that the workshop was to enlighten Cotton Farmers and Cooperative Societies on planting as well as pod harvest procedures. The Secretary revered that about 800 farmers along with score of cooperative members in Katsina State participated in the workshop aimed at encouraging best cotton farming practices and management for increased production.
An Agricultural Specialist from the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) of the Amadu Bello University in Zaria, Kuchinda Chiroma has cautioned cotton farmers against all farm adulterations to ensure commodities gain wider acceptability.
Kuchinda Chioma noted that adulteration practice is an impediment to the growth of cotton business in Nigeria and brings huge amounts of lose and decline to cotton farming and seed quality. While condemning increase in the cases of cotton adulteration with water, sand, dust, wood, metallic objects and other items aimed at increasing its weight for fear of adulteration, the Specialist informed that international cotton merchants are forced out of the country and the effected is reduction in the quality of the product compared to international standards.
He urged cotton farmers to embrace modern farming techniques and post-harvest procedures and commended the Federal and State Governments on their efforts to support agricultural development programmes.
According to him, efforts need to begin from the selection of suitable land, the planting of improved seeds and the re-application of organic manure with suitable fertilizer composition which could be obtained through constant contact with agriculture extension workers.