Samia opens cotton factory, gives MP a tongue-lashing

Meatu. President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, inaugurated a major cotton processing factory owned by Biosustain Tanzania Limited in Meatu District, Simiyu Region, with an annual capacity of 500 tonnes.

Meanwhile, during her Meatu visit, President Hassan criticised Kisesa MP Luhaga Mpina for likening his constituency to a woman with braided hair, calling the comment inappropriate and lacking developmental relevance.

The commissioning took place on the second day of her five-day working tour of the region. The factory has already created over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Addressing a rally in Itilima District, President Hassan said the facility would not only generate employment but also secure market access for cotton farmers in Meatu, a key goal in the government’s drive to industrialise rural regions.

“Importantly, the investors plan to expand by constructing another Sh12 billion plant for cotton seed and sunflower oil production. This is a significant development, and I encourage others to follow suit,” she said.

President Hassan noted that the government remains committed to attracting investment into Meatu and the broader Simiyu Region.

The district currently hosts three large factories, 148 small industries, and 268 micro-enterprises, employing a combined 1,342 people.

She also commended local farmers for their efforts in boosting cotton production from 22.7 million kilogrammes in 2020 to over 40.2 million kilogrammes this year.

“I assure investors—including those at the factory I inaugurated—that the government will continue improving the business environment. I urge citizens to keep producing cotton and other crops to supply current and future factories,” she added.

Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe said the factory, among the country’s largest cotton buyers, had purchased over 30,000 tonnes of the crop last year.

He added that the Meatu District Council had allocated land for the factory at no cost, underscoring local commitment to industrial growth.

Biosustain Tanzania Limited’s CEO, Dr Riyaz Haider, said the factory operates under a contract farming model, offering farmers field support through motorcycles, fuel, training, and inputs.

“We aim to work closely with farmers to secure a stable cotton supply. We plan to scale up production to one million tonnes and raise farmer yields from 350 kilogrammes to 2.5 tonnes per acre,” he said.

Dr Haider added that the company intends to offer better farm-gate prices and expand investment through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) initiative.