Governor Jack Ranguma has said the revival of Kisumu Cotton Mills (KICOMI) is on course.
“I have petitioned the government to lift the ban on BT Cotton so that farmers can re-embark on cotton growing using a variety that is viable,” said Ranguma.
He stated that changing the KICOMI plant into a food processing company will not be as viable as the cotton industry since the produce may come from other regions and that the local farmers may not benefit directly.
He added that Kisumu’s weather is viable for cotton production more than any other crop noting that the county government has already embarked on a cotton growing project in Nyando, Seme and other areas in the region.
“Farmers are willing to grow the crop and are only waiting for a surety that there will be ready market and that is what we are striving to ensure is in place with the revival of KICOMI,” said the governor.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Dr Wilson Songa supported the idea of diversification in industries, welcoming the move by KICOMI to explore food processing.
He however stated that the national government has prioritised revival of textile industries and that it can go along others.