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Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer
Cottco is engaging private transporters to ferry cotton from buying points to ginneries as the marketing season continues.
Cottco tweeted recently calling on transporters with trucks with capacity between seven and 30 tonnes to register with the company to transport the seed cotton.
“The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe is urgently looking for haulage service providers with the following truck tonnages: seven, 10, 15, 20 and 30 to move seed cotton bales from buying points and transit depots to the following ginnery depots – Chinhoyi, Chiredzi, Gokwe, Kadoma, Lupane, Mt Darwin, Mutoko, Mutare, Muzarabani and Sanyati.
“All interested service providers should get in touch with Cottco business unit managers stationed at the above areas. Payment for service rendered will be upon delivery of the load and submission of the relevant to the transit depot or ginnery, added the post,” read the tweet.
Speaking recently at a field day in Chipinge, Cottco acting chief accounting officer Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha said they were expecting this year’s cotton production to double last year’s output.
“Last year we produced 46, 7million kg of seed cotton against a target of 120 million. This year are expecting 100 million kg of seed cotton against our target of 120 million,” said Mr Chikasha.
The swift movement of the produce will enable Cottco to quickly grade the crop and pay farmers their top up amounts by grade as all farmers are paid the lowest grade D price of US$0, 40 per kilogramme upon delivery.
The prompt delivery of seed cotton will ensure that Cottco promptly pay farmers as well as abide by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) requirements for contractors to display grades to farmers within seven days of processing.
Speaking at the 2023 seed cotton standard grading boxes unveiling ceremony in Harare recently, AMA agribusiness director Mr Jonathan Mukuruba said all merchants should display grade results at all buying points within seven days after grading so that farmers know what grades their seed cotton fetched.
“For this marketing season, we want all merchants to ensure that grade results are displayed at all buying points within seven days after grading so that farmers know what grades their seed cotton fetched.
“This will not only enhance transparency, but will act as a motivation in future marketing season as it acts as a barometer for good quality seed cotton,” said Mr Mukuruba.
Online Reporter