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Elton Manguwo
IN a clear testimony of the economically empowering nature of Government’s agricultural development programmes, the cotton value chain is set to benefit around 660 000 people on the backdrop of increased production, thanks to the Presidential cotton inputs scheme.
Speaking during the Cottco cotton grower of the year awards in Chinyenyetu, Gokwe, Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) chief executive officer Mr Clever Isaya said over 600 000 people would benefit from cotton production with farmers, predominantly smallholders, growing the crop under contract farming arrangements.
“The cotton industry provides employment to approximately 60, 000 individuals employed in ginneries, spinning, transport and logistics services,” he added.
Cottco recently signed a worthwhile cotton lint export deal with Belarusian end user companies that will see the country by-passing merchants and getting increased earnings from its white gold in the process.
“Cotton is a strategic crop in the country and the second largest foreign currency earner after tobacco,” said Mr Isaya.
The Presidential Cotton Input Programme (Pfumvudza/Intwasa) capacitated 400 000 farmers to boost production and expand the whole value chain in line with rural industrialisation.
“I would therefore like to commend the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Masuka, here present, for supporting our smallholder farmers through the programme,” said Mr Isaya.
Going into the forthcoming marketing season, AMA has put mechanisms in place to address the problem of side marketing to protect the cotton industry so that players can get maximum value from the crop.
Mr Isaya said strong measures had been taken to curb side marketing and these included signing binding memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between AMA and contractors as well as hefty fines and penalties for related offences.
“We are currently in the process of identifying common buying points where we will deploy our clerks to oversee the trading activities. Farmers will use the buying points during the marketing season,” he said underlining how all contractors are required by law to buy from their contracted farmers.
In addition, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) announced in its February 2023 monetary policy that this year, 85 percent of payments to cotton farmers will be in foreign currency.
“As AMA, we will be monitoring everything closely to ensure that merchants are in total compliance with regulations for both production and marketing of seed cotton is the hallmark of a successful agricultural marketing season,” said Mr Isaya.
AMA in collaboration with other Government departments are training farmers on proper grading practices and curbing contamination of seed cotton, which is critical for good quality cotton.
Online Reporter