In order to increase the volume of production to supply the Metropolitan industry, the Forced Labor Diploma for cotton was instituted, which obliged each rural family to produce cotton on an area of half a hectare.
With production volumes increasing to around 12 tons, the Colonial Cotton Export Board was created, whose main functions were to coordinate and supervise the production and trade of cotton from overseas (Decree No. 28.697 of 25/05/1938).
The decree imposing forced labor was revoked by Decree No. 43.875 of 24/08/61 and the Mozambique Cotton Institute was created.
After independence, many cotton production centers were abandoned and technicians (settlers) fled, resulting in a significant drop in cotton production levels and the Mozambique Cotton Institute was abolished. At that time, the State Cotton Secretariat was created by Presidential Decree No. 11 /79 of 24/10/79 with the aim of ensuring the post-colonial transition and boosting the sub-sector, which culminated in the creation of State Cotton Companies in all the provinces and the boosting of the Cooperative Sector.
Decree 7/91 of 23 April abolished the Secretary of State for Cotton and created the Cotton Institute of Mozambique, with the aim of promoting, guiding, disciplining and supervising activities related to the production, marketing, industrialization and export of cotton.
Through Decree No. 36/2015, of December 31, in order to make the institution more adjusted to the demands and dynamics of the cotton subsector and to integrate other crops for textile purposes, the duties and powers of the Cotton Institute of Mozambique were redefined.
Decree 49/2020 of July 1 abolished the Cotton Institute of Mozambique and created the current Cotton and Oilseeds Institute of Mozambique, a public institute with a mandate to promote the production, marketing, industrialization and export of cotton and oilseeds, their products, by-products and other crops for textile purposes, with a view to satisfying national and international demand.
