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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

COTTCO Zimbabwe will this year distribute 170  tonnes of hybridised seed to farmers as it eyes to increase cotton yields by five-folds.

The company, which is currently sourcing funds to secure the seed from India, has managed to purchase at least 24 metric tonnes.

Cottco’s acting accounting officer, Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha confirmed the development this morning to stakeholders during a workshop on process flow for lint trading at Kadoma Ginnery.

“We had targeted at least 1000 tonnes of hybridised seed but we will be able to avail 170 tonnes to farmers this year. At least 24 tonnes have been secured so far,” he said.

He said due to climate changes, the country was targeting at least 47 000 metric tonnes of seed cotton this year, a drop from last year’s 116 000 metric tonnes.

Mr Nevermind Jonga, Cottco’s projects manager and the financial controller said trials have shown the hybridised seed produces at least 3500 kgs of seed cotton per hectare as compared to open pollinated variety(OPV)’s 700 kgs.

Provincial agritex officer, Mrs Evelyn Ndoro assured Cottco of the availability of extension officers from the Government to support those from the company.

Cottco has 195 extension officers attending to over 300 000 growers countrywide.