Limited knowledge on cotton by-products in Malawi has been singled out as one of major constraining factors that is affecting value addition and marketing of the crop.

The observation has been made in Lilongwe during a National Validation Workshop on the development of cotton by-products in the country.

Speaking during the workshop, World Food Programme Malawi Country Director and Representative Paul Turnbull said a feasibility study on the development of cotton by-products revealed that there is a serious gap when it comes to marketing cotton by-products.

Turnbull added that WFP is ready to come in and assist on technical aspect.

He said: “United Nations is able to give some technical assistance and that that’s the important thing about today’s feasibility study is to look at the technical aspects of the cotton by-products and make recommendations that can be adopted here in Malawi.”

The UNCTAD has a lot of experience in the marketing of products and the production of stuff like by-products and cotton from many countries.”

On her part, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade Christina Zakeyu said if well managed, cotton is capable of contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Said Zakeyu: “It is an important sector in view of its contribution in terms of its contribution to GDP. Its contribution to exports as well as its contributions towards their poverty reduction.”

“I think we need to work closely because you know, issues of cotton, they do not only fall under the Ministry of Trade, they also fall under the Ministry of Agriculture and other important sectors within the economy.”

Meanwhile, an independent consultant Dr Mavuto Tembo has called upon authorities to work on revamping the industry saying that there a readily available market.

“We are all the products of supermarket food consumers, here it means we love imported food processed foods which she indicates this readily available market for cotton by-products starting with cotton.”

“The raw material is very low, you have seen Malawi has heated the lowest in 2021 market season of seed cotton, so one wouldn’t be able to operate and equipment to produce products from cotton and the other things,” Dr Tembo said.

The one-day validation workshop was jointly organised by the UN’s Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Trade Centre.

Malawi has over 200, 000 cotton farmers as majority of that number are smallholder farmers. And 95 percent cotton seed is exported to South Africa where it is processed.