Cotton: Stakeholders lament as crop goes missing from 2021 Agricultural budget

Stakeholders in the Cotton Value chain sub sector have lamented over the disappearance of the crop from the 2021 Agricultural budget that had already been presented to the Federal Minister of Finance, saying this was a reflection of non economic attachment to the revival of Nigerian textile industry. A close source told Food Farm News. 

The source disclosed that the disappearance of cotton in the budget of the FMARD was an omission that needs to be clarified based on its economic importance to the economic revive towards job creation and income earnings.

According to the source ‘’we have started asking why cotton was left out among all the value chains, we don’t know what really happened, we have told them to inform the budget office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that cotton is missing.  We don’t know where the problem came from, and by today there will be a breakdown of the budget at the Ministry of Finance’’

Responding to the issue, the National president of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) Anibe Achimugu  disclosed to food farm news during a chat that the importance of cotton to the nation’s economy cannot be over emphasized, saying its omission in the budget presentation was a great error.

Achimugu said that cotton is a cash crop that can earn significant foreign exchange for the nation to support the  Federal Government's diversification for foreign exchange earnings, adding that it can significantly support further industrialisation due to its vast value chain as no part of Cotton is wasted. 

He went further to say it could be used to make, aside from fabrics, surgical cotton wool products, particle board from the cotton stalk, oil and animal feed from the seeds etc.

The president said that it would help boost the rural economies of at least 33 States where cotton can be  cultivated to create massive job from Extension Agents/Agronomist, labourers for farm harvesting and Ginning operations.

He added that the inclusion of the cotton in the 2021 agricultural budget would address import substitution as Nigeria cotton will now be used for Garment making thus meeting the huge demands of the growing Nigerian population.  Just a few reasons to ensure Cotton is supported by the Federal Government of Nigeria sustainably.