adminMartin Kadzere : Senior Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE may next year start using cotton hybrid seeds that require less water and have a higher yield potential compared to current non hybrid varieties, an official has said. Quton director Mr Edward Mhandu said the results of research have shown that the hybrid seeds, which are generally require less water intensive, have a yield potential of 20-25 percent higher than non-hybrid seeds. Quton is the country’s sole breeder of cotton seeds.“While the trials are ongoing, we have started building capacity of farmers and training them on how to produce hybrid seeds in preparation of commercialisation,” said Mr Mhandu.
“Hopefully, by 2017 or 2018 latest, we should be able to commercialise the hybrid seeds. So far, the results have shown us that cotton yields could increase by up to 25 percent.”
Similar results have also been obtained in Zambia, where the company has operations.
Before losing its glitter, cotton used to be one of Zimbabwe’s major foreign currency earners, sustaining more than 200 000 families. But poor cotton prices on the international markets and inadequate funding saw a drastic fall in production.
This year, Zimbabwe’s cotton output is expected to further drop due to erratic rainfalls caused by the El-Niño phenomenon and late disbursements of inputs.
While some farmers received some free inputs under Government’s input support programme, the yields would not match the seed volumes taken up by farmers due to poor rains.
There was also a marked decline of cotton growers this season after many farmers abandoned the crop citing viability issues. Farmer organisations have estimated the crop size may decline to around 75 000 tonnes compared to just above 100 000 tonnes produced last year. In the 2013 /14 season, cotton output was 135 000 tonnes.
Mr Mhandu said the introduction of hybrid seeds would help farmers raise acreage and productivity.
Economic analysts say a shift to the use of less water tolerant seeds would help offset challenges related to unpredictable rainfall patterns resulting from climate change.
India’s leading agri-biotech company Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company acquired a controlling stake in Quton in 2014 from SeedCo in a transaction worth $10 million.
The acquisition gave the Indian firm a platform to introduce hybrid seeds to Africa. The foray into African market is expected to strengthen Mahyco’s positioning in the global cotton market.
Quton also has operations Tanzania and Malawi, which predominantly open pollinated varieties are used. Studies are also underway to introduce hybrid in these countries.
Mahyco said while Africa was a major cotton growing region, the continent was not using high yielding seeds. It said it would start introducing hybrid varieties and after its success, it would introduce Bt seeds.
“The African region has significant potential on the agro bio-tech front to increase farm productivity by using modern seed technology,” it said.
The company was the first in the world to successfully commercialise hybrid cotton.
Online Reporter