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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
EIGHTY-FIVE percent of seed cotton delivered to common buying points last season has been moved to ginneries with the outstanding lot expected to be expeditiously moved before the onset of the rainy season.
Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) chief executive officer Mr Rockie Mutenha revealed this yesterday while responding allegations that a lot of seed cotton was still lying uncollected at some buying points countrywide.
Mr Mutenha, however, confirmed that some bales of cotton were still to be moved from Masekesa common buying point in Gokwe South and other areas. He said transporters were busy moving the crop to ginneries for grading and ginning.
“There are 18 tonnes of cotton at Masekesa and we have dedicated a seven-tonne truck, which is carrying cotton from there right now. It may take only three loads to clear the cotton,” he said.
A Cottco seed cotton stock movement report dated September 26 shows that all their six business units had taken 9 973 909 kilogrammes of cotton apiece but had only moved 7 611 788kg with a balance of 2 362 121kg remaining. This means there are about 1 496 tonnes in common buying points awaiting shipment.
An anonymous farmer affiliated to the Zimbabwe Agricultural Think Tank (ZATT) – Cotton Council Discussion Forum WhatsApp group yesterday posted an image of bales of cotton lying uncollected at Masekesa.
“Cotton bales for Cottco at Masekesa common buying point are still on the ground uncollected and now that it is about to rain, we are afraid the product might be damaged.
“As farmers we are worried that we might lose out on quality if it gets spoiled by rains to end up fetching the low-grade D price of US$0, 32 per kilogramme,” said the farmer.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony of the 2024 seed cotton standard grading boxes held in Harare before the start of the marketing season, Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) business director Mr Jonathan Mukuruba said all merchants should display grade results at all buying points within seven days after grading.
“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.
“In addition, merchants are expected to issue cotton grading receipts indicating the grades awarded after the process, as this will serve as motivation in future marketing seasons,” said Mr Mukuruba.
He observed that issuing grading receipts would not only act as a motivating factor in future marketing seasons but also serve as a standard measure for good cotton quality.
Statistics with AMA show that as at September 24, a total of 9 578 799 kilogrammes of cotton had been graded for all merchants.
Online Reporter