daniel chigunweEdgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
STAKEHOLDERS in the cotton industry have challenged the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to expeditiously distribute herbicides and pesticides saying the incessant rains were making it difficult for farmers to manually control weeds and pests.
Cotton Producers and Marketers Association (CPMA) chairman, Mr Stewart Mubonderi yesterday urged GMB to increase delivery of chemicals to farmers.
“We call upon the GMB to expedite the delivery of chemicals to farmers, as the good-looking crop needs to be maintained at all costs. Farmers are also encouraged to scout their fields for pests and diseases and ensure their fields are weed free,” he said.
Mr Mubonderi said the continuous rains were giving farmers little time to do weeding adding that the farmers should approach their merchants to secure post emergency herbicides to control weeds.
“Yield of the crop is a function of doing the right operations at the right time. Fertilisation, weeding and chemical applications must be done timely,” Mr Mubonderi added.
Cotton Ginners Association (CGA) acting chairman Mr Caos Nzenze concurred saying though most of their members had finished planting, the few remaining must be encouraged to continue planting especially in areas that have started receiving rains now.
“Weeding, chemical application and thinning for a uniform crop are the main activities in fields currently. The crop is looking exceptionally good and this season appears to be good for the crop,” he said.
The Government announced the 4R concept that is focussed on good agronomic practices of right variety, right fertiliser/chemical, right placement and right time in order to increase yield.
Meanwhile, statistics from the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) show that inputs with potential to cover 306 113 hectares had been disbursed to 212 653 growers by all contractors as at January 19.
This represents 86 percent of the targeted national hectarage of 357 250. Seven of the registered contractors have given inputs to growers this season with Galaxy Cotton and Cangrow still to start.
Alliance Ginneries, Zimbabwe Cotton Consortium and Agri-Value Chain have surpassed their revised target after achieving 115 percent, 124 and 109 respectively.
Innovative has disbursed 89 percent of its revised target followed by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) on 80, Southern Cotton Company at 69 and New Cotton Company at 61.
A total of 4 591 701 kilogrammes of seed, 13 900 177 of basal fertiliser and 4 796 159 of lime have been disbursed by all contractors.
The country initially set the national target of 271 286 hectares before revising it upwards 32 percent to 357 250.
Cottco recently embarked on a campaign to encourage farmers to continue planting and increase the hectarage under cotton especially in areas that started receiving effective rains recently. These areas include Muzarabani, Mushumbi, Machaya, Rushinga, Hoya in the Zambezi Valley, then Chiredzi, Checheche, Ngundu as well as Zhomba in the Lowveld, Chireya in Gokwe and Uzumba in Mashonaland East.
Online Reporter