WE NEED TO CHANGE COTTON’S MARKETING STRATEGY- MINISTER

Government is not impressed with the way cotton is being sold in the
country- saying the system is not strong and could not lead to any
growth of the industry.
The once second mighty from Tobacco on earnings perspective has not
been impressive for the past two decades and its wearisome-collapse
remains visible.
Speaking in an interview, Minister of Agriculture and food security Dr
James Munthali, thinks there is a need to overhaul the crop’s selling
system which has been more liberal and retail.
“What I mean is we need to review our marketing strategy in cotton industry.
“We cannot see any progress if we leave cotton being sold on a retail
perspective to individual companies who could spread lots of scales in
various places.”
According to government should find means to improve its capacity to
monitor and regulate the marketing of the crop, like what has been the
case with Tobacco, Tea and other crops.
He says plans are underway to bring proper structures and organization
in the system that may bring sanity in the industry.
“It is the role of my ministry to bring that change, and if we will
think of adopting the system used in tobacco auctioning, we will
certainly do.
“I know that other countries tried it whether they failed or succeeded
we must try to find our own strategies.” Munthali said.
Last season, cotton was fetching an average price of 200 kwacha per
kilogram which was reasonably better than the previous years.
Meanwhile, Munthali is yet to appoint councilors of cotton council; a
parliament approved body to be regulating the crop’s production