BY FREEMAN MAKOPA COTTON seed sales plunged by 47% to 52 618 162 kilogrammes (kg) during the year to August 25, 2022, way below the 99 740 085kg realised during the comparable period in 2021, official data showed yesterday, citing fluctuating weather patterns.
Farmers across several agricultural subsectors have also reported falling output during the 2021/22 agricultural season due to erratic rains.
Cotton has traditionally been resilient to harsh weather conditions.
The crop, a major generator of revenue for small-scale farmers, is mostly grown in Zimbabwe’s dryer regions.
However, apart from poor rainfall, declining output was also underpinned by a reduction in the number of farmers who signed up for contract farming projects, Agricultural Marketing Authority (Ama) data revealed yesterday.
Ama data showed that the number of farmers under contract farming fell to 332 212 during the 2021/22 season, compared to 335 022 previously.
There has been growing resistance by farmers to sign up for contract farming deals in Zimbabwe.
The farmers cite “exploitation” by big firms running the programmes, who they blame for taking the bulk of revenues, leaving them in abject poverty.
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The firms deny the accusations.
The resistance has also been reported among tobacco farmers where contractors have trooped in huge numbers to fund the contract farming model which was introduced around 2004.
This has seen a significant switch to the Presidential Input Scheme, which cuts across most crops including maize and small grains.
Ama chief executive officer Clever Isaya told NewsDay Farming that US$15,7 million had so far been generated from the seed cotton crop delivered this year.
In addition, farmers have earned $1,7 billion from the crop, the Ama boss added.
“To date, seed cotton deliveries across the country stand at 52 618 168kg compared to 99 740 085kg during the same time last year,” Isaya said.
“The price set by government for seed cotton grown under the Presidential Inputs Scheme is a combination of US$0,30/kg and $32,50/kg. The total value of seed cotton delivered to date is US$15 785 448,6 and $1 710 090,265,” he said.
The country’s major seed cotton buyers include the State-run Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), Alliance, Southern Cotton, ShawashiAgri and Zimbabwe Cotton Consortium.
Last week, Cottco said it had paid US$9,9 million and $1 billion to white gold farmers.
It said ginning was in progress with lint allocations to local and export customers also underway.
It said the Presidential Input Scheme was also benefiting many stakeholders in the value chain including the textile industry, cooking oil producers, transport industry, local authorities, government departments, suppliers in different categories and the retail industry among other stakeholders.
The company said more than 2, 5 million people benefit directly or indirectly from cotton production every year in Zimbabwe.
The company said it was able to pay an outstanding $3 billion to farmers from funding raised during the season.
Two weeks ago, Ama extended the 2021/22 cotton marketing season to cater for the late crop, which was affected by delayed rains.
Zimbabwe’s normal cotton marketing season closes around mid-August.
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