Reasons for the decline of cotton production in Uganda

Reasons for the decline of cotton production are classified into physical, social nd economic.

Physicisal factors are

• Climatic change such as excessive rain, hailstone and droughts
• Decline in soil fertility due monoculture in areas like Kumi, Gulu, etc.
• Incidences of pests and diseases such as cotton ball weevil, cotton boll worm, cotton stainers have destroyed cotton fields in Gulu, Kumi, Kamuli etc.
• Shortage of land in different parts of the country where cotton should be grown.

Others factors for the decline of cotton production are

• Low prices and market for cotton globally
• Political instabilities in different parts of the country such Kasese.
• Lack of capital to invest in cotton productio
• Poor quality seed
• Collapse of the spinning mills such as Jinja Internation Textile Corporation (JITCO) reduced the market for cotton
• Poor transport network in cotton growing areas such as Gulu, Lira, Arua etc.
• Poor storage facilities
• Lack of skilled man power in cotton production industry
• Competition from synthetic fibers