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Production has resumed at the country’s sole textile maker, the privatised Mapeto David Whitehead and Sons Malawi (DWSM) Limited after six weeks of inactivity due to the scarcity of cotton.
Mapeto DWSM General Manager Martin Mpata confirmed in an interview on Thursday saying production resumed two weeks ago after the company received some cotton from Mozambique.
Production was halted in March forcing the company to send all production staff on forced leave after it was discovered that the country had run out of cotton and efforts to talk to other companies who were believed to have the raw material in stock hit a blank wall.
Trade and Private Sector Development Minister Martin Kansichi’s intervention also failed to yield tangible results.
Mpata said currently his company is importing cotton from Mozambique at a relatively higher price of about K12.32 (US$0.09) per kilogramme.
“We have ordered 900 metric tonnes which should see us over a period of three months, but this may not suffice for full swing production, so we are still banking our hopes on local cotton,” he said.
Local cotton is expected to be available between mid this month and early June when harvesting of crop should be through.
Mpata said his company is incurring extra costs through the importation of cotton but could not give the exact figures.
But he said the extra costs will not be transferred to the customers saying their products will continue selling at the prevailing prices.
Market analysts argue that Mapeto DWSM found itself in a fix because it prioritised replacement of machines at a time when others were buying cotton last year.
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