Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Government has proposed cotton production and marketing arrangements that will enhance accountability, improve grower viability and reduce side marketing, improving the operating environment of contractors while constantly growing the cotton sector.
The measures will be implemented with immediate effect to expand the crop volume for 2023 season.
These include increasing climate proofing in cotton production and improving genetics and all cotton inputs will be delivered by cotton contractors and distributed at a common distribution point.
Speaking at a press conference on proposed cotton production enhancement and marketing arrangements and marketing arrangements for the 2023/24 season Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said the modalities will increase value addition and beneficiation of the transformation of rural communities.
”The transformation of the cotton sector depends on the viability of the grower. The sustenance of transformation is underpinned by grower viability but to do so, we must be disciplined at all levels; at grower level, at contractor level, at Government level, at stakeholder level and partner level. We have seen examples in tobacco where discipline augurs well for value chain financing. We now need to increase production,’’ said Dr Masuka.
Stakeholders have indicated that farmers’ viability is only guaranteed by the participation of the farmer in value addition, primarily ginning and oil seed crushing to manufacture oil and animal feed stocks.
Cotton Council of Zimbabwe Trust chief executive officer Eng Christopher Murove said cotton farmers therefore need to produce free cotton which they can then gin as their own crop either through toll-ginning arrangements or by using their own farm gate ginning facilities.
”Allowing and enabling free cotton farmers to add value to their “free cotton” through ginning, oil seed crushing, will enhance the ability of these farmers to easily pay back their loans to the financiers.,’’ he said.
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