Kenya revives cotton industry to boost manufacturing
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Farmers in coastal Kenya are planting cotton again, and a new ginnery is working with Thika Cloth Mills (TCM) to process it, rebuilding a connection between farms and factories.
For decades, Kenya’s cotton and textile sector weakened after trade liberalization increased competition from imported clothing. The government now prioritizes rebuilding the industry as part of its economic development plans, aiming to create jobs and reduce reliance on imports.
Lake Kenyatta Cotton Cooperative, along with three others in Lamu County, supplies seed cotton to Mpeketoni Ginnery, which then sends the processed cotton to TCM. TCM, one of Kenya’s few remaining integrated textile mills, provides funding to the cooperatives to purchase cotton directly from over 7,000 farmers in the Lake Kenyatta area. Last season, the area produced 3.5 million kilogrammes of seed cotton and aims to increase that to 5 million kilogrammes.
While cotton production has increased from 1,300 tonnes in 2021 to 8,800 tonnes in 2025, it still falls far short of the 200,000 bales that Kenya’s manufacturers need. TCM itself has invested in renewable energy sources like solar power and biomass boilers to reduce costs, and reports not importing cotton last year. However, challenges remain in seed availability, pest control, transport costs, and ensuring consistent quality and quantities to meet the needs of tailors and garment producers.
