Cotton farmers to get outstanding payments

Source: Cotton farmers to get outstanding payments | The Herald

Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

Cottco has promised to pay cotton farmers all they aer owed before the onset of the next season.

Recently, Cottco paid $1bn and US$9,9 to cotton farmers and over 50 000 tonnes have been paid for.

The producer price for the current marketing season is US$0,30 plus $32 for each kilogramme delivered.

The company has also embarked on a rebranding programme whose cornerstone entails enhancing farmer viability through timeous payment to farmers after they deliver their crop to the company.

This is part of its new grower centred approach to business operations following rebranding designed to create value for the sectors stakeholders.

Addressing cotton farmers at Harare Agricultural show last week on Friday, Cottco’s acting account officer, Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha, said there was significant reduction in the number of cotton farmers this season compared to last year adding that all outstanding payments to cotton farmers will be settled soon.

Mr Chikasha added that farmers are going to get inputs on time hence they should prepare for the next season.

“We promise to give you inputs on time so go and prepare. We want to achieve better results next season.

“All outstanding payments will be done soon so we are urging farmers to continue with cotton farming next season. Our hope is to have over 400 000 farmers next season.

“About 237 000 farmers grew cotton this year compared to 387 000 last year. We appreciate the great effort you are doing in farming.

“We urge you to continue doing hard work. We also applaud Government for introducing foreign currency payments to our farmers.”

Farmers had target of 90 000 tonnes for this season, but this was greatly hampered by erratic rainfalls. Cotton Producers and Marketers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Stewart Mubonderi said farmers should prepare early and get inputs on time so that better yield is achieved.

“Following the rebranding exercise you have embarked on , we hope you are going to give inputs on time and so that farmers start on time and finish on time.

“The next season is good for us farmers. Let’s work hard and improve the yield next season,” he said.

Cotton farmers who were present at the event said they are geared for the next season adding that there will be improvement in yield.

Steady Chabata of Chiredzi said foreign currency and free inputs are the key motivators in cotton farming urging other farmers to come on board.

“We are very happy that farmers are getting their payments in foreign currency. I urge other farmers to do so. Moreover, We appreciate this and next year there is probability that more farmers will join cotton farming.

Smart Kambanje of Gokwe said farming is critical since it improves standards of living.

“Next year l am going to improve my yields. People should take as a business. I assure you that next year l am going to make it. If l gets inputs on time obvious a good harvest will be achieved.”

Cotton is a strategic crop that is interwoven into the rural economy and indeed, the national economy, as it is a cash crop for farmers, particularly those in drought-prone areas.

“The crop provides lint for downstream textile industries and generates export earnings, while the cotton seed is used to extract edible oils for human consumption with the seed residue used in animal feeds.

Production of cotton can transform rural communities through the major cash crop and having huge benefits to the economy at large as a major source of cooking oil for local consumption and cotton fibre for export markets.

“The intervention by the Government on cotton production through the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme was meant to revive the sector, which was collapsing due to low prices offered by merchants and other problems related to inputs.

Some farmers in cotton growing areas had abandoned the crop after prices fell and merchants had reduced input packages citing side-marketing by farmers, further affecting production