Seed cotton deliveries reach 25million kgs

Edgar Vhera, Specialist Writer —Agribusiness

COTTON farmers have sold 25 million kilogrammes (kg) of seed cotton to the six registered contractors, a 90 percent increase from 13 million kg in the same period in 2024, as the marketing season draws to a close.

Statistics released by the Agricultural and Marketing Authority (AMA) show that the volume of seed cotton sold increased from 13,33 million kg by July 24 last year to 25, 26 million kg in the corresponding period this year.

AMA is assessing seed cotton availability in all production areas to identify the common buying points that need to be granted a marketing period extension.

The regulatory authority said seed cotton marketing was tailing off, particularly in the Zambezi Valley and Gokwe areas, amid indications that the forecast production of 60 million kg will not be reached.

Some ginners believe that there are hardly 10 million kilogrammes left with farmers.

As ginners process seed cotton to lint and cotton seed, AMA said five percent of the ginned cotton was grades A and B (120 141kg — one percent) and B grade (338 175kg — four percent), while 95 percent fell in the C and D grades.

This is less than last year’s eight percent (grade A — three percent and grade B — five percent) by July 22.

Grade D accounts for 57 percent of this year’s intake, while grade C makes up 38 percent of deliveries.

A total of 1,2 million kg of lint had been produced from the ginning process by July 22 this year, with only 65 423 kg (five percent) classified in the good middling grade.

The 95 percent balance (1,17 million kg) fell in the strict middling grade.

This compares favourably to last year, when all 100 percent were in strict middling grade.

In cotton grading, middling refers to a standard to which other cotton grades are compared and is considered an average quality grade.

Middling cotton is generally classified as being nearly white, fleecy and having very small amounts of debris.
Good middling is the best, followed by strict middling.

Zimbabwe’s biggest cotton contractor, Cottco, purchased 14,73 million kg (58 percent) of the intake, followed by Alliance Ginneries on 4,80 million kg (19 percent) and Southern Cotton third at 2,25 million kg (nine percent).

Agri Value Chain maintains its fourth position, accounting for eight percent (1,94 million kg), with Cangrow fifth on five percent (1, 22 million kg) and lastly Zimbabwe Cotton Consortium (ZCC) on one percent (315 470kg).

Cottco acting chief executive, Mr Rockie Mutenha, said his organisation was still buying cotton towards their targeted intake.
Mr Mutenha said Cottco had the money to buy seed cotton from farmers and was paying cash.

He dismissed some reports that the company was having challenges paying farmers.

“We have actually increased our price to US$0,32 per kilogramme from US$0,30. We encourage farmers to continue delivering cotton to Cottco, their all-weather friend,” he said.

Mr Mutenha said Cottco was swiftly moving seed cotton from cotton buying points to ginneries in preparation for ginning and transporters are being paid upon submission of invoices.

Cottco funded 109 362 hectares of cotton across the country.

About 61 million kg of seed cotton are expected this year from a production area of 122 493 hectares across the country.
Seed cotton deliveries are 41 percent of this year’s expected total output.