President Samia hails Maswa’s strides in cotton production and tax revenue

Maswa. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has commended Maswa District in Simiyu Region for its achievements in cotton production and revenue collection, highlighting the district as a model of agricultural and fiscal progress.

Addressing residents during her official tour of the region, President Samia applauded the operations of Shree Rajendra Agro Industries Ltd—a cotton processing factory in Maswa worth Sh12.4 billion, with a daily capacity of processing 350 tonnes of seed cotton.

“This factory will create employment opportunities in Maswa, enhance the value of our cotton, and secure markets for our farmers,” she said.

She revealed that Simiyu Region has set a target to produce 278,358 tonnes of seed cotton for the 2024/25 farming season.

“By 25 January, farmers in the region had already cultivated 212,882 hectares, and here in Maswa District alone, we expect to harvest around 60,438 tonnes,” she added, encouraging residents to scale up production, noting that both markets and processing facilities are in place.

On the issue of industrial development, the Head of State instructed the Maswa District Council to allocate a larger site for the district’s chalk manufacturing factory, citing its national significance.

“This factory is expected to supply chalk across the country, so it must be given ample space for sourcing raw materials,” she said.

Turning to revenue performance, President Hassan commended the district for collecting Sh3.46 billion—equivalent to 96.21 percent of its Sh3.6 billion target.

“This is commendable progress. I believe the district will hit its full target by the end of the month. It is a reflection of strong fiscal discipline,” she said.

She, however, challenged local authorities to aim even higher in the next financial year, given the slight upward adjustment in their revenue target.

“Timely revenue collection is key to accelerating development within our councils and the country at large. Let us continue to pay taxes for our shared prosperity,” she emphasised.

The President further stressed that many of the development projects being witnessed today are a direct result of taxpayers' contributions.

“All of this is being returned to you through investments in infrastructure and social services,” she affirmed.

Commenting on infrastructure, President Hassan announced that Maswa has been earmarked as a cargo handling station under the ongoing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, calling on residents to make the most of the opportunities that come with enhanced connectivity.

“I urge you to tap into job and tender opportunities during the construction phase and prepare to benefit from the reliable, affordable services the SGR will offer,” she said.

She encouraged the community to focus more on production, value addition, and market expansion, leveraging the railway to reach broader markets.