The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
Leading cotton company, Cottco, is projecting a good harvest this season following various interventions by the Government to revive the production of the white gold.
The company said it is set to record a harvest of over 100 000 metric tonnes this year, all thanks to Government’s Pfumvudza programme which gives cotton farmers free inputs and teaches them how to mitigate climate change.
Apart from receiving free inputs, cotton farmers are now receiving 85 percent of their payments in foreign currency, while 15 percent is being paid in local currency at the official rate.
Speaking during a field day at Mr Lybern Sithole’s homestead in Munepasi Village, Chisumbanje, Cottco’s chief executive officer, Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha said cotton farming success stories hinge on various intervention made by Government to bring back glory days in the sector.
Mr Chikasha said cotton production is on the increase countrywide as farmers embrace Pfumvudza which is availing free inputs as well as offering technical support.
“The number of cotton farmers has been growing over the years and this year, 360 224 farmers grew cotton countrywide.
“Last season cotton production was not good because of low rainfall in areas where cotton is grown. These areas received the rains very late and in some areas, as late as January. That was not good for a crop that requires a number of months in the fields.
“We ended up at around 46 metric tonnes against a target of around 120 000 metric tonnes, hence our output last season was very low.
“This season there is a significant improvement and we are expecting to reach 100 000 metric tonnes against a target of 120 000 metric tonnes.
“The biggest challenge is that farmers planted way more than what they can manage. We are urge farmers to embrace Pfumvudza and concentrate their efforts on manageable pieces of land, “said Mr Chikasha.
Speaking during the same event, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos hailed Government for its interventions in reviving cotton production and urged more farmers to grow the white gold to uplift their lives.
“The idea is to mitigate climate change through Pfumbvudza. Those interventions are attributed to the success story in cotton production. “We want to touch the 150 000 mark and we are confident that every year we will continue to increase the tonnage. The secret is not big hectarage but good economic practices,” he said.
Cotton farmer, Mr Sithole said: “We are grateful to Government for availing us with free tillage, free inputs and technical support. Without these interventions, many of us would find it hard to venture into cotton farming due to limited resources.”
