Cotton marketing season extended

Cotton side marketing can be seen as a desperate attempt by farmers to circumvent unfair contracts and secure better value for their efforts. — File picture

Nqobile Bhebhe Zimpapers Business Hub

THE Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has extended the 2025 national cotton marketing season to August 15, in a move aimed at allowing farmers additional time to deliver their produce to designated buying points across the country.

In a notice on Monday, AMA said the extension applies to selected regions and is part of ongoing efforts to accommodate logistical challenges faced by cotton growers.

“The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) wishes to inform stakeholders, particularly cotton farmers and merchants, that cotton buying has been extended up to the 15th of August 2025,” the Authority said.

At the start of the marketing season, AMA gazetted a total of 697 buying points, comprising 221 permanent and 476 mobile sites.

With the latest extension, 103 common buying points remain operational to facilitate deliveries.

“Farmers are encouraged to expedite their deliveries within the extended timeframe. AMA remains committed to supporting the agricultural community to ensure a smooth closure to the marketing season,” added the Authority.

The extension of the season is expected to cushion farmers in remote areas and improve the overall collection rate, ensuring that no harvest is left uncollected due to access challenges.

The cotton marketing season traditionally runs from May through July, but in recent years, shifts in weather patterns and logistical delays particularly in transport have necessitated seasonal extensions to accommodate affected farmers.

This season’s cotton sales are projected to reach 61 000 metric tonnes, significantly surpassing last season’s total of 13 600 metric tonnes.

To ensure fair trade practices, strict guidelines have been put in place and no cotton bales will be allowed to leave a buying point unless the farmers have been fully paid for their deliveries.

Furthermore, merchants are only permitted to purchase seed cotton once they have settled all outstanding payments for previous season’s deliveries, including any grade differential prices owed to farmers.