Zambia’s cotton production has gone down by 48 per cent in 2013, due to the reduction in growing area because of the low prices experienced last year.

This was because most farmers shunned the crop due to the low prices on the local market which hit a low of K1.70 in 2012.

The country produced 100,000 tonnes of cotton in 2013, 48 per cent less than the 275,000 tonnes harvested in 2012.

Zambia Cotton Ginners Association (ZCGA) executive secretary Bourne Chooka said 415,000 hectares of arable land was, however, earmarked for cotton plantation in the on-going 2013/14 crop farming season.

Mr Chooka said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that from the earmarked plantation area, the country could produce an estimated 150,000 tonnes of cotton in 2014.

"Everything concerning the cotton farming season is in place, the seed has already been distributed and we are looking forward to a fruitful season especially if the weather patterns are favourable.

"About 415,000 hectares of land has been cleared for cotton plantation and we are expected to harvest 500 kilogrammes of the crop per hectare, translating into a national production of 150,000 tonnes,” Mr Chooka said.

Mr Chooka said the association was eager to see more investment to enhance value addition in cotton spinning.

He said if companies such as the Zambia China Mulungushi Textiles (ZCMT) were recapitalised, the development would go a long way in adding value to the textile industry.

Cotton in Zambia is predominantly grown across four provinces namely Eastern, Central, Southern and Lusaka. About 80 per cent of the lint produced by Zambia is consumed in China, which is the main export market. In 2013 alone, Zambia earned US$70 million from cotton exports despite the low prices.