Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
THE Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has instructed all cotton contractors to pay growers grade-based prices for crop quality improvement.
This comes as the industry has unveiled the 2026 seed cotton grading standards in line with Statutory Instrument (SI) 142 of 2009.
The exercise is meant to maintain grading consistency.
AMA agribusiness director, Mr Jonathan Mukuruba said the quality of seed cotton has been on the decline for years due to several factors.
“Lack of grade differential payments has demotivated farmers to pre-grade their seed cotton, with only one percent being in the Grade A category last year.
“Drought and poor rainfall patterns, leaf trash, weak or immature fibres, and insect stain (due to lack of adequate application of chemicals) are also to blame for the decline,” Mr Mukuruba said.
“These poor grades call for greater and more concerted efforts by all concerned parties in ensuring that differential grade prices are paid. Our farmers should be trained in cotton grading to ensure minimum contamination of seed cotton,” he added.
Mr Mukuruba said payment of grade differential prices would go a long way in motivating farmers to exercise pre-grading at homestead level, leading to improved cotton grades.
This will also boost farmer earnings and strengthen Zimbabwe’s position in the global cotton trade.
According to Statutory Instrument 188 of 2022, Section 10(f), merchants are supposed to pay growers grade differential prices for their seed cotton deliveries after grading by November 30 each year.
However, Cotton Producers and Marketers Association chairman, Mr Stewart Mubonderi, said there is no incentive for farmers to produce Grade A quality cotton as prices are paid using the lowest Grade D price.
“Since the 2023 marketing season, a lot of the farmers were not paid their grade-based price differentials by their contractors, contrary to Government’s directive,” he said.
“This dampens the farmers’ spirit and they are not motivated to produce quality crops, with some even shifting to other crops.”
Cotton Council of Zimbabwe (CCOZ) national coordinator, Mr Cliffet Mangena said farmers need some motivation to produce quality cotton.
The Government introduced a grade-based pricing model during the 2023 marketing season.
Last season, Grade A was bought at US$0,41 per kg, with Grade B at US$0,37 per kg, while Grade C received US$0,34 per kg and Grade D was bought for US$0,30 per kg.
Cotton is crucial due to its contributions to the textile industry, edible oil and stock feeds manufacturing.
