Low rainfall dashes cotton farmers’ hopes

also severely affected by a long dry spell that hit the province and the yield is projected to fall by nearly 50 percent this year.
Although the province received heavy rains during the first half, it was a sorry state for the second half, which had low rainfall activity.
Mr Julius Chitare said he failed to plant on time because of the first heavy rains while other farmers’ crops were affected by the dry spell which followed after the rains.
“This season we did not do well and our yields have been reduced by nearly 50 percent. This has even affected our profits although we will be able to go back to the fields,” he said.
Chiredzi Transit depot procurement manager, Mr Taurai Jemedze confirmed the effects of the poor rains on the crop.
“The crop stand was small this season with the plants averaging three balls per plant when usually the plant produces five to ten balls,” he said.
Mr Jemedze said this season the province may produce between 30 and 35 000 tonnes of cotton a decrease from the normal output of 60 000 tonnes.
“The area received 360mm (of rain) the whole season and spent nearly three months without rain,” he said.
Chiredzi was mainly a cotton growing area and had the favourable conditions for the crop but the low rainfall disturbed production.
“Our soils are good for cotton production and some farmers with black soils do not even apply fertiliser thereby reducing production costs. We usually have a good crop but this season the story is different,” he said.
Cottco area manager, Mr Noah Teya, said some cotton crop which was in good condition experienced forced splitting of the balls reducing cotton production and the quality of the produce.
He encouraged cotton growers to always plant early and aim for high plant population as this will give them high yields.
“Farmers who planted early have a better crop. Farmers do not lose anything by inc-reasing plant population since the amount of inputs used per unit area is almost the same,” he said.
Farmers in the Lowveld were advised to plant between 35 and 45 000 plants of cotton per hectare for high yields.
Most such growers in Chiredzi are A1 resettled farmers who produce the crop on contract farming under Cottco.
The growers said they usually delivered their produce to Cottco early and get their money once at the end of the season.
Mr Jemedze said it was not advisable for farmers to keep their cotton at their plots as the crop was highly flammable and could also deteriorate in quality resulting in losses.
Growers who sell early usually get better prices.