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Agriculture Reporter
STAKEHOLDERS in the cotton industry say the cotton output target of 250 million kg will not be met this season.
Agritex and farmers’ unions had set a target output of 250 million kilogrammes while ginners expected 300 million kg based on the seed sales.The Agricultural Marketing Authority has revealed that 123 836 209kg of cotton went under the hammer as at August 2.
This cotton selling season is expected to close month end.
AMA said buyers were offering prices ranging from US45 cents to US58 cents per kg. Zimbabwe Farmers Union second vice president Mr Berean Mukwende said the target would not be met this season due to decline in production, which he attributed to low prices that were offered by buyers last season. Last season cotton was bought at US30cents per kg.
“This forced many farmers this season to switch to tobacco while others reduced the hectarage under cotton,” he said.
Mr Mukwende said the season started late, forcing some farmers to plant late.
The late plantings greatly reduced yields as the rains also went away early before the crop had fully developed.
“Farmers who rely on water conservation methods had high yields,” he said. The cotton council spokesman, Mr Garikayi Msika, said the season was almost over and there was nowhere the target output would be met.
“We are just below 140 million kg now and for this season we have failed to meet the target,” he said. Some farmers complained that cotton ginners distributed inputs late.
“Seed was not available in the retail outlets and we had to wait for ginners’ supply,” complained a Chinhoyi farmer.
Cotton production has been on the downfall due to low prices that were being offered by buyers.
Online Reporter