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Edgar Vhera-Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) has extended this year’s cotton marketing season by a further two weeks with August 15 now set as the final closing date.
AMA director agribusiness Mr Jonathan Mukuruba said this in a notice to stakeholders in the cotton industry yesterday.
“Please be advised that buying of seed cotton has been extended at selected common buying points (CBP) up to August 15,” he said.
The list included some 97 CBP in the Sanyati, Gokwe, Chiredzi, Bindura, Marondera, Chinhoyi and Mutare regions.
This comes as most farmers were worried that they still had seed cotton they had not delivered to the CBP, as they encountered challenges such as delays in accessing the woolpacks for packing their produce.
Cottco has since rectified the problem and availed adequate woolpacks to the affected farmers.
This comes as seed cotton intake by buyers rose 74 percent to 83 million kilogrammes by August 3 this year in comparison to 47 million kg over the same time period last year.
Statistics released by AMA show that the four cotton buyers purchased 82 549 067 kg of seed cotton worth US$27 305 929 and $21 888 292 568.
The prices ranged from US$0, 34 and US$0, 40 plus the local currency component. The main contractor, Cottco account for 77 percent of the purchases.
AMA is still compiling information on the actual funding extended to farmers by the various contractors, though Government has been the largest funder over the years.
The current intake is 47 percent higher than last year’s total intake of 56 043 tonnes. It still remains to be seen whether the anticipated 137 000 tonnes of seed cotton from merchants from their first crop assessment will be achieved.
The final crop, livestock and fisheries assessment report (CLAFA 2) indicated that 152 472 tonnes of seed cotton can be produced from the planted 178 864ha.
Meanwhile, in its weekly update dated August 4, Cottco has revealed that they increased their seed cotton intake from 61 726 tonnes by July 28 to 65 182 tonnes. The report said US$14, 6 million and $148, 1 million had been paid to farmers to date.
Gokwe, Sanyati and Chiredzi business units account for 56 percent of the seed cotton deliveries.
Cottco has paid for 66 percent of seed cotton purchases with an outstanding balance of 34 percent.
Cottco is moving with speed to ensure that farmers are equipped with inputs for production in the upcoming summer season. The report said 690 tonnes of basal fertilisers had been delivered to Muzarabani, Gokwe, Chiredzi, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Mutare and Mt Darwin business units.
Online Reporter
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