President of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (Icac), Kai Hughes, is scheduled to visit Malawi next week, to observe the current cotton industry in the country and meet stakeholders and policymakers in the sector on ways of improving its share to the national economy.

AICC Chief Executive Officer, Felix Lombe, said that the president was visiting a country that is not a member of Icac, which is a remarkable development, considering that upon arrival, the president will finalise paperwork for Malawi’s membership into Icac. “Malawi stands to tap from the resources Icac provides to the member countries through its Common Fund. We also see this as an opportunity for the country to boost this sector,” Lombe said. Cotton Council of Malawi Chief Executive Officer, Cosmas Luwanda, said the council would utilise the visit to create awareness and promote new and high-producing varieties of cotton seeds on the market.

Meanwhile, cotton farmers are upbeat about the increased price of the cash crop. The increase comes after 2 market seasons have passed with the prior price being operational. The increase was from K375 per Kg to K420 per kilogram.