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Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
Cotton production, which was on the verge of collapse, increased by 286 percent this season owing to the Presidential Inputs Scheme. Through the scheme $42 million was extended to farmers.

The money was raised through Agricultural Marketing Authority bills. Cotton farmers were given seed, fertiliser and chemicals.

According to the 2016/ 17 final crop and livestock assessment report, the cotton sector has registered a significant growth with farmers producing 127 million kilogrammes.

They only managed 33 million kg last season.

Midlands produced 53 239 million kg this season compared to 17 485 million kg last season.

Mashonaland Central produced 39 307 million kg, up from 5 535 million kg last season, while Manicaland managed 10 638 million kg, an increase from 2 371 million kg last season.

Mashonaland West produced 7 853 million kg this year from 2 447 million kg last season. In Matabeleland North, farmers produced 4 858 million kg during the 2016-17 season, an increase from the 1 272 million kg last year.

Mashonaland East harvested 1 080 million kg, up from 750 000kg last season.

The Presidential Inputs Scheme constituted the bulk of the support offered to cotton farmers during the 2016/ 17 season.

The intervention on cotton production was meant to revive the sector, which was collapsing due to low prices offered by merchants.

Most farmers in cotton growing areas had abandoned producing the crop after prices fell.

Merchants had reduced input packages citing side marketing by farmers and this further affected production.