Online Reporter
Word From The Market-Tina Nleya
COTTON, once celebrated as Zimbabwe’s “white gold”, has historically stood as a pillar of both rural livelihoods and national economic resilience.
At its peak, the sector supported over 400 000 rural households, serving not only as a cash crop but also as the backbone of industries such as textiles, oil processing and livestock feed manufacturing.
Cotton was more than a crop; it was a national asset that symbolises hope, employment and prosperity for farming families across the country.
Yet over the past decade, this vital sector has experienced a precipitous decline.
National production plummeted from over 350 000 tonnes (t) in 2012 to just 13 757t in 2024.
The year 2025 saw a slight rise in production with over 28 000t of seed cotton being marketed this past season.
This has left farmers vulnerable, rural incomes diminished and the downstream value chain severely weakened.
While 2025 showed a modest recovery, the figures remain far below the country’s true potential.
Against this sobering backdrop, the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) hosted the cotton indaba in Kwekwe from September 18 to 19 under the theme “Revitalising Zimbabwe’s White Gold — Towards a Sustainable and Competitive Cotton Sector”.
This two-day gathering brought together farmers, contractors, ginners, seed and chemical suppliers, spinners, financial institutions, extension officers and policymakers.
The goal was to openly confront the challenges besetting cotton production and to chart a collective road map for renewal.
Why cotton matters for
rural development
The importance of cotton to Zimbabwe’s rural economy cannot be overstated.
Cotton is uniquely suited to semi-arid regions where few crops thrive, making it a dependable income source for marginalised communities.
For many smallholder farmers, cotton has historically paid for school fees, food security, healthcare and reinvestment in farming.
Moreover, cotton drives value addition and rural industrialisation. Every kilogramme of seed cotton feeds into multiple industries, from lint for textiles and clothing to seed for oil extraction, livestock feed and soap production.
A thriving cotton industry stimulates local economic hubs, creates employment and generates foreign currency for the nation.
Its revitalisation is, therefore, not only an agricultural necessity, but a socio-economic imperative.
Challenges confronting
the cotton sector
Discussions at the indaba highlighted structural and systemic issues strangling the sector:
1. The broken contract farming model
Despite regulations requiring contractors to provide full input packages, seed, fertiliser and chemicals, many farmers still receive only partial support. This undermines yields and fuels mistrust between contractors and growers.
2. Side-marketing and market indiscipline
The “cancer of side-marketing”, where contracted cotton is sold to alternative buyers, has eroded trust, discouraged investment and perpetuated farmer indebtedness.
3. Low productivity
Yields remain far below regional and international standards due to inadequate inputs, outdated practices and weak extension support.
4. Climate change pressures
Erratic rainfall and drought-prone conditions have intensified the vulnerability of cotton farmers, demanding urgent investment in climate-smart practices.
The indaba: A turning point
The cotton indaba served as a collective call to action. Key recommendations that emerged included:
Establishing a cotton production and marketing blueprint for 2025/2026 and beyond.
Reviewing input financing and distribution models to ensure farmers receive comprehensive support.
Introducing a price stabilisation fund to shield farmers from volatile global cotton prices.
Creating a digital national cotton registry to enhance traceability, curb side marketing and ensure accountability.
Promoting zoning systems, whereby farmers work with designated contractors in specified areas to reduce market chaos.
Strengthening extension services and investing in farmer training on sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices.
The indaba also underscored the importance of aligning Zimbabwe’s cotton revival with national goals under Vision 2030, where agriculture is expected to drive inclusive growth and rural transformation.
Lessons from a thriving cotton economy: India’s case study
Countries like India have demonstrated how innovation can revitalise cotton into a thriving industry.
India is one of the world’s largest cotton producers, accounting for over 23 percent of global output.
Several key factors underpin this success:
1. Technology adoption:
India embraced genetically modified Bt cotton, which increased yields by improving resistance to bollworms and reducing pesticide costs.
2. Strong farmer cooperatives
The cooperative model enabled smallholder farmers to pool resources, negotiate better prices and access inputs more affordably.
3. Research and extension services
India invests heavily in cotton research institutions and farmer training programmes, ensuring the rapid dissemination of improved practices and varieties.
4. Market linkages and infrastructure
Well-developed ginneries, textile mills and supportive export policies ensured that cotton farmers had ready markets, reducing post-harvest losses.
5. Government support
Through minimum support prices and subsidies on fertilisers and seeds, India shielded its farmers from severe price volatility.
These interventions transformed cotton into a pillar of rural development, lifting millions out of poverty while feeding the nation’s booming textile industry.
Zimbabwe can adapt these lessons, particularly in strengthening farmer institutions, investing in research and ensuring a predictable input supply to reignite its own cotton economy.
Conclusion
The story of cotton in Zimbabwe is one of immense opportunity. While the decline of recent years has been painful, the spirit of renewal that defined the cotton indaba offers hope.
As stakeholders embrace reforms, enforce accountability and adopt innovation, cotton can reclaim its rightful place as Zimbabwe’s “white gold”.
Revitalising this sector is not just an agricultural goal; it is a national mission, one that will uplift rural households, strengthen Zimbabwe’s economy and ensure that the benefits of growth reach even the most remote corners of the country.
Tina Nleya is AMA’s marketing and public relations manager. Word From The Market is a column produced by AMA to promote market-driven production.
