This article focuses on cotton farming in Kenya. Cotton is one of the main cash crops grown in Kenya. Currently, Kenya produces about 25,000 bales of cotton. Most of the growers are small-scale farmers.
Main Cotton Growing Areas In Kenya
- Homa Bay.
- Siaya.
- Lamu.
- Embu.
- Makueni.
- Tana River.
- Kitui.
- Machakos.
- Meru.
- Kirinyaga.
- Busia.
Varieties Grown In Kenya
- HART 89M.
- HA 701.
- HA 211.
- C567.
- C569.
- KSA 81M.
- C570.
- C571.
Ecological Requirements for Growing Cotton
- Temperature range of 21°c- 27°c.
- Altitude of 0-1350 m above sea level.
- Fertile and well drained black cotton soil.
- Soil pH of 5.0-7.0.
- Enough sunshine.
- Rainfall of 500-750mm.
Land Preparation
Land should be thoroughly prepared early enough before planting, about one month before planting. The land should be ploughed to a depth of 30-40cm.
For an adequate soil tilth, it is advisable to harrow your land after ploughing. Experts also recommend cutting of furrows for the purpose of draining excess water.
Planting
Planting is done manually by sowing seeds at the onset of rains. You can use tools such as a jembe or fork. For an acre, 2-3kgs of seeds are enough.
Planting holes should be about 4cm deep, with a spacing of 60-30cm between rows.
You can use organic and inorganic fertilisers for planting. The fertilisers help to improve soil nutrients.
3 weeks after planting, thinning should be done to remove excess seedlings.
Pests and Diseases
Common pests that attack cotton plants include aphids, African bollworm, thrips, mealy bugs and white flies.
Common diseases include bacterial blight, fusarium wilt, anthracnose, damping off, ascochyta blight and African cotton mosaic.
The pests and diseases can be controlled by using recommended pesticides, insecticides and practising proper sanitation/ field hygiene.
Harvesting
Cotton takes about 6-8 months to be ready for harvesting. Harvesting is done manually and once it has been done, it is advisable to dry the cotton to reduce the content of moisture.
The Market for Cotton in Kenya
Cotton is used to make garments, for weaving, spinning and for other purposes. The biggest buyers of cotton are ginneries.
You can directly sell your produce to the few cotton ginneries that are still operational in the country.
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