Zimpapers Logo

Tariro Stacey Gatsi

COTTON farmers’ representatives are upbeat Government’s decision to mandate the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) with the distribution of inputs for the current season replacing Cottco will bear positive results following a meeting they had with Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka which they described as very helpful.

The Cotton Farmers Working Group which comprises all the unions and cotton farmer associations attended the meeting, which was held virtually.

Among the take-home points from the meeting was the decision by Government to introduce a hotline for farmers to report abuse of inputs under various Presidential Inputs Support Schemes, which they would have witnessed or suspected.

Cotton Council of Zimbabwe secretary general Engineer Chris Murove said it was heartening that the Minister took time to address the farmers’ concerns adding that they presented him with a written list of issues on behalf the cotton farmers.

“This was done in a very constructive manner with the Minister mandating us to fully liaise with contractors, in particular Cottco and work closely with the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) for the benefit and protection of cotton farmers,” Eng Murove said.

He explained that the Minister had explained the rationale behind the new cotton inputs distribution system, which he said had been adopted to curtail in transit losses or abuse of the contracted Government inputs.

“Our members, together with Cottco, AMA and GMB will be deployed across cotton producing areas to educate farmers on the new inputs distribution system and Government’s contract arrangements.

“However, despite the late rains and delays in cotton inputs distribution, we are encouraging farmers to grow as much cotton as they can especially under the Pfumvudza climate-proofing model, as it improves the crop’s tolerance to the projected drought,” added Eng Murove.

He also explained that they would be holding monthly meetings as the Cotton Working Group meetings instead of the usual quarterly and get to hear farmers’ concerns before taking them to Minister Masuka for discussion.

The recent decision by the Government to relieve Cottco of its inputs distribution duties had ushered in a lot of confusion among farmers given that nothing had been said about the fate of outstanding payments by both Cottco and GMB. Most farmers could not help but conclude that the move was going to prejudice them of their dues.