Cotton deliveries top 35 000 tonnes

Emmah Chinyamutangira Manicaland Correspondent
COTTON deliveries in Manicaland have increased after Government announced that farmers will get part of the payment in foreign currency, Cotton Marketers’ Association chairman Mr Steward Mubonderi has said.

“This season farmers have surpassed last year’s deliveries with nearly 35 000 tonnes having already reached the depots in Manicaland.

“This was after Government announced that it will pay 20 percent of the total payment in foreign currency,” he said.

He said cotton farmers had the potential to deliver up to 70 000 tonnes. Mr Mubonderi said the response from farmers in Manicaland was overwhelming as deliveries increased by 20 000 tonnes this season from 15 000 tonnes last seaon.

“Manicaland has the potential to produce over 100 000 tonnes of the white gold in the next season,” he said.

“We have received cotton from Chipinge, Rusape, Buhera and other parts in Mutare while the number of farmers who have embarked on cotton farming has increased. Cotton farmers who used to plant one hectare are now planting three hectares.

“Our farmers responded positively to the recent commitment by Government that they will be paid part of their money in foreign currency, by planting more cotton whose volume has been constantly growing. The country needs foreign currency and cotton farmers have a solution. The country needs cooking oil, margarine, stockfeeds and more employment opportunities and cotton farming can provide that,” he said.

He said the Government’s Presidential Free Cotton Inputs Scheme has gone a long way in helping marginalised farmers who were faced with high costs of inputs and low producer prices.

“Most farmers have already started preparations for the cropping season and we look forward to increased productivity. We are also encouraging farmers to plant cotton early,”he said.

Mr Mubonderi bemoaned the poor mobile communication network in some parts of the province which he said was affecting farmers when it came to receiving their payments.

Meanwhile, tobacco  farmers in Manicaland have started reaping the irrigated that was planted around September 1 despite damages that have been recorded on some farms due to hailstorms, reports Wimbainashe Zhakata.

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) Manicaland provincial manager Mr Daniel Mungazi said the early irrigated tobacco was now ready.

“The first and second reaping is taking place in the high temperature districts of the province that include Makoni and parts of Mutare,” he said.

He said tobacco in low temperature districts tended to grow slowly.

“Low temperature parts of the province experience slow tobacco growth rates and the crop is mainly on the topping stage edging towards first reaping. Such areas include Vumba,” he said.

Agritex tobacco specialist Mr Douglas Nzarayebani said the bulk of the irrigated tobacco crop planted around September 1 is in good condition although some farmers had registered massive losses due to hailstorms.

He said about 13 000ha of both irrigated and dry land tobacco had been planted in the province this year adding that farmers were still planting dry- land tobacco following significant rains received in the past two weeks.

“For both irrigated and dry land tobacco we are expecting about 13 000 hectares this year. However, farmers are still planting dry land tobacco and we have received a lot of rains to the eastern side of Manicaland especially in Mutare, Mutasa and parts of Makoni, which is good for the crop,” he said.

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