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Agriculture Reporter
The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) is in the process of preparing cotton standards for 2022 through the National Seed Cotton Standard Boxes Refurbishment exercise in accordance with Statutory Instrument 142 of 2009.
Cotton merchants, farmer representative organisations and Agritex will be consulted for the final approval of 2022 seed cotton standards.
AMA communications manager, Mr Munyaradzi Mlambo, yesterday confirmed the development.
“The purpose of cotton standardisation is to ensure that it has the quality that is internationally accepted and recognised. It is through conforming to these standards that local cotton will be able to fetch a higher price on the international market leading to a better producer price for local farmers.
“Cotton deteriorates quality with time therefore its standards must be renewed every year,” he said.
Meanwhile, farmers have welcomed the foreign currency payment component announced by Government recently. This season, US$30 shall be paid in foreign currency per 250 kilogrammes bale delivered and the rest will be paid in local currency.
Government has pegged the pre-planting cotton producer price at $63,23 per kg for the crop produced under Government Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme and $111,17 per kg cotton financed under non-Government funded arrangements.
Government has revived the cotton industry by issuing free inputs to farmers under the Presidential Inputs Scheme. Under the facility, farmers are given seed, fertilisers and chemicals for free.
In some areas farmers are also assisted with tillage services.
The Presidential Inputs Scheme was extended to cotton after farmers had abandoned the crop citing viability challenges and the very high prices many merchants were charging for inputs, coupled with the very slow payment systems.
Beneficiaries of the Presidential Inputs Scheme now boast acquiring tractors, grinding mills, irrigation equipment and household furniture.
Online Reporter