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Cotton farming is booming again

Elita Chikwati in Muzarabani
About 200 000 farmers countrywide have so far registered to grow cotton under the Presidential Well-Wishers Agricultural Inputs Scheme during the 2017 /18 summer cropping season, with inputs already at collection points in areas like Muzarabani. As more growers continue to show interest in the programme, it is envisaged that beneficiaries will soon rise to 400 000.

While inputs are already at collection points in Muzarabani, Cottco is still waiting for the green light from Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) to start making disbursements. The checks and balances are meant to avoid abuse of inputs by officials. Farmers in Muzarabani, which has recorded a growing number of first-time registrants are expected to receive inputs next week.

Cotton has designated a Muzarabani Business Unit comprising of Mutoko, Bindura, Mt Darwin, Rushinga, Mukumbura, Muzarabani, Mushumbi, Chinhoyi and Karoi for the purpose of issuing the inputs. Cottco statistics show that so far 62 200 farmers in the business unit have registered for the Presidential inputs from 53 750 who registered in the 2016 /17 season.

Overall, Cottco is targeting 105 000 farmers for the Muzarabani Business Unit. Cotton farmers say the programme is improving their livelihoods. Chief Muzarabani said the presidential inputs scheme restored the viability of the crop for many farmers who had abandoned growing the “white gold.”

“We are grateful for the inputs. We used to pay a lot of money for the fertilisers and chemicals and farmers would get little from it. Some companies gave us inadequate inputs, but demanded the whole crop at the end of the season. This forced some farmers to side-market the crop, while others abandoned it altogether. Cotton was the only source of livelihood for most people in Muzarabani, but farmers were demotivated. The revival of cotton production in the area also improved employment opportunities for our youths as they were employed at the depots and ginneries. This reduced the number of people committing offences, and I had few cases to settle last season because many people were occupied. Local businesses also registered growth. This area was a hive of activity, especially during the cotton marketing season ,” he said.

Chief Muzarabani called on Government to extend the three-year programme by two years to allow farmers to wean themselves off free inputs. Mrs Chiedza Tanyanyiwa from Chiwenga area said she was happy with the cotton price of 47 cents per kilogramme offered by Cottco. “The price was good considering that we did not buy seed, fertiliser and chemicals,” she said.

“I hear those whose crop was in grade A will soon receive more money (price adjustment) and we will also get a five percent export incentive. This is motivating us to grow the crop. Kairezi Central farmer Mr Ranganai Murau said he was grateful to President Mugabe for the noble programme, which was also benefiting the youths. As a youth, I am also benefiting from the scheme,” he said.

“I did not have any capital to start a business. I did not have collateral to go and borrow money from the bank. The Presidential inputs scheme offered a lifeline to me and I want to take cotton production as a business.” Farmers in the area complained that payments through mobile money services like EcoCash were inconvenient for them due to both poor telecommunications network and the inability of some farmers, especially the elderly, to use the platform. Government expects the Presidential inputs scheme to benefit 1,8 million households this year, including those for maize and small grains, an increase from the 800 000 households last year.