As part of efforts aimed at improving the Kaduna State economy, the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has invited Chinese experts to see the possibility of revamping its textile industries.
According to the governor, the development was aimed at ensuring productive investment that can increase the economic chances of the state especially now that there is decrease in federal allocation.
El-Rufai, who stated this while receiving the team at Sir Ibrahim Kashim house, Kaduna said the need to revamp the industries became necessary because of impact the development would have along value chain thereby improving the living standard of the people in the state including cotton farmers.
Elsewhere, General Manager, Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency, Sabi’u Sani Isyaku said, the State government invited the company to see how to revive cotton through value chain.
According to him, “we discovered that there are issues at different levels of production beginning with the farmers. When they cannot produce the tons of cotton needed, the manufacturing industries will not have enough cotton to work with and that will lead to importation which is quite expensive.
“So one of the things we are doing is to get high return seedling. The more the farmers are able to produce the better for everyone along the value chain.
And for the textile companies to have a viable production, there is the need to have improved cotton seedling and that is why we enjoin our farmers to use improved seedling and mechanization to improve their production from about 2 tons per hectre to about 5 tons per hecter. If we are able to produce, we will be exporting to other countries including China.
Earlier, leader of Chinese experts, Mrs Shuying Wang said, the team was in Nigeria to assist the country in all the cotton value chain for improved and sustainable economy adding that, the country has the potential to be global destination of quality cotton.
