COTTON lint exports are projected to reach 67 890 tonnes in 2018 from 45 000 tonnes this year due to higher seed cotton production and favourable international prices in 2017, a report has shown.
BY FIDELITY MHLANGA
According to a research by Econometer Global Capital, seed cotton production is projected to reach 248 000 tonnes next year, up from the 72 000 tonnes achieved this year on government’s support to the white gold production.
“Area under seed cotton production is expected to increase by almost 86% to about 289 000ha in 2018 pushing up production together with normal rainfall and the continuation of the government’s free inputs support programme that reduces farmers’ production costs,” the research firm said.
“2017 lint exports are estimated to reach 45 000t, about 268% higher than the 2016 exports due to expanded size of the crop. In 2018, lint exports are forecasted at 67 890 tonnes earning approximately $130m due to higher seed cotton production and favourable international prices.”
The government has pledged to provide free inputs to cotton farmers for the third year running in the 2017/18 season, which will motivate more farmers to take up cotton production.
Under the scheme, cotton will be supported to the tune of $60 million, catering for 400 000 households.
Cotton, also known as white gold, is the third most important cash crop in Zimbabwe after tobacco and sugarcane, grown by thousands of smallholder farmers.
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Cotton exports have become relatively insignificant due to under production. However, it peaked after dollarisation, earning about $200 million from 143 788 tonnes of lint exports in 2012.
The closure of key processing industries and competing crops such as maize and tobacco affected cotton production over the past five years.
In 2016, 12 223 tonnes, constituting about 93% of domestic lint produced in the country, was exported mainly to South Africa where it was warehoused before being exported to other destinations.
However, production is yet to recover to its peak of 353 000 tonnes of cotton in 2000. Traditionally, cotton was the second largest foreign currency earner after tobacco in the agriculture sector.
