This morning I visited the China-Africa Textile Factory in Salima to appreciate operations at the company’s Cotton mill.
Accompanied by His Excellency Liu Hongyang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Malawi, I was impressed with what I saw especially
that trial production for Yarn has already started.
Once fully operational, the company will employ 1,500 Malawians, give market access to cotton farmers as well as generate USD 35 million in
foreign exchange for the country per year.
It is in the interest of this administration led by His Excellency President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to attract more investors to speed up development and create jobs for Malawians especially the youth. Cotton is one strategic crop that must be promoted.
As I have repeatedly said elsewhere, the cotton industry could be the country’s game changer to take over from tobacco in the wake of anti-smoking lobbies and various other issues affecting the future of the country’s green gold.
I recall a presentation by the Cotton Council of Malawi sometime back indicating that 1kg of lint can produce 10 branded T-shirts and that 100,000
MT of cotton produced can create over 20,000 jobs and earn an estimated USD 65 million.
