LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
Government has set a target of 285 000 tonnes of cotton in the forthcoming cropping season, which is more than double the 116 521 tonnes achieved in the last cropping season.
The increase in the target comes at a time when the weather experts have predicted normal to above normal rainfall.
“The target is to put 285 000ha under Pfumvudza cotton to produce 285 000 tonnes from 520, 000 beneficiaries [120, 000 Hybrid and 400, 000 others] cotton growers,” Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka.Masuka said.
He said Zimbabwe’s largest cotton buyer, Cottco, in which the government has a stake in, will implement the Presidential Cotton Scheme with the adoption of two major innovations: hybrid cotton seed and Pfumvudza programme with conservation agriculture principles.
The programme also has a tillage component using rippers.
“So far 9500 tonnes of basal dressing and 2500 metric tonnes of top dressing, delivered to Cottco points.
“We will be ramping up deliveries starting next week [this week],” Masuka said.
Cotton production is estimated at 116 521 tonnes which is a 41% decrease compared to 195 991 tonnes in 2020/21 season. The drop in output was a result of late planting owing to the late season onset as well as prolonged dry spells during the critical development stages of the crop in most areas.
Zimbabwe achieved a 0.81 tonnes per hectare in 2021 farming season after 239 619 hectares were planted and a harvest of 195 991 metric tonnes against an average of 0.5 tonnes in 2022 after 223 283 hectares were planted achieving an output of 116 521 tonnes.
“National average yield is expected to increase from 0.5 tonnes per hectare to about one tonne per hectare,” Masuka said.
AMA agri-business director Jonathan Mukuruba said the projected output this season stood at 116 521 000 kilogrammes from the 332 212 farmers who were contracted.
“This season, a total of 332 212 farmers were contracted who put 262 643,6 hectares under cotton. The projected output this season is 116 521 000 kilogrammes, while 53 000 000kg have been delivered so far,” he said.
Mukuruba said cotton production revival was vital as it was a key value chain in the transformation of the agricultural sector.
Cotton remains a key value chain in the transformation of the agricultural industry, rural livelihoods, hence its active revival is, therefore, vital, according to Masuka.
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 dry regions.
Apart from poor rainfall, declining output was also underpinned by a reduction in the number of farmers who signed up for contract farming.
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 for contract farming deals in Zimbabwe.
