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Cottco managing director Mr David Machingaidze confirmed the company was following up on defaulting farmers.
Cottco supplied farmers with inputs, such as seed, fertiliser and chemicals during the 2009/10 cropping season. The farmers were in turn expected to sell their produce to Cottco, in line with the requirements of the contracts they signed.
“It is normal company procedure to follow up on any unpaid inputs at the end of the season. We, however, encourage farmers to honour their contracts with cotton merchants. Where there are genuine cases of poor harvests or hardships, we will look at those case by case.
“We are asking farmers who did not deliver the crop to us, in some cases, to pay us for the inputs, in cash while in some instances, they can pay us in any other produce like maize, or livestock,” said Mr Machingaidze.
Poor rains experienced in some parts of the country this year led to poor cotton harvests, particularly in areas like Mwenezi. This saw some farmers like Mr Philimon Muchayi of Tavengwa Village under Chief Murove in Mwenezi failing to deliver enough cotton to Cottco despite receiving inputs from the company. This farmer now owes Cottco US100, 65 and has already had a plough, a goat and knapsacks attached by the company.
Online Reporter