eBusiness Weekly
Walter Nyamukondiwa
Government is set to review the producer price of crops including cotton, wheat and maize this season to align them with the obtaining economic environment that has seen the price of some inputs skyrocketing.This comes as Government has made moves to consolidate cotton production through finalising transfer of shareholding to it by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco).
The first step saw the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (Zamco), an arm of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) absorbing Cottco’s $56m debt.
Speaking at a cotton stakeholders meeting in Kadoma this week, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos, said Cabinet was working to determine the selling price.
“As Government, we are reviewing the price of cotton. Price determinant are still with the Office of the President and Cabinet,” he said.
“We cannot, however, announce the prices prematurely. We are reviewing the price of wheat and maize given the conditions in our economy at the moment. Farmers will be advised very soon.”
The Deputy Minister said there was need to improve cotton production to revive Zimbabwe’s textile industry.
Nearly 400 000 farmers have registered to grow cotton this season compared to 75 000 in the 2015/16 season.
“This is encouraging indeed. Based on this, Government’s target of putting 450 000 hectares under cotton production will surely be achieved this season. Cotton is critical in helping us improve the GDP of our great nation. As a global commodity, cotton plays a major role in the economic and socio development of emerging economies and newly industrialised countries.”
He said the new administration was determined to restore cotton to its glory days.
Meanwhile, Mashonaland West Minister of State Mary-Chikoka Mliswa said farmers should take advantage of Government programmes such as the Presidential Input Support Scheme.
“Production is a very crucial component that can turn our economy around and His Excellency Cde ED Mnangagwa continues to support via the Presidential Inputs Scheme,” she said.
“We have to take advantage of this policy and actually put in the work to ensure that we grow and increase our farmers and indeed the whole value chain.”
She said farmers should continue to support Cottco’s Kadoma Ginnery to reach its installed ginning capacity of 18 000 tonnes of cotton.
She said farmers and stakeholders in Mashonaland West province would work hard to ensure that at least 25 000 hectares are put under cotton production this season.
Minister Mliswa called for greater involvement of women in cotton production adding that priority should now be given to value addition.
“We want to move to value addition as we seek to grow our province’s GDP.
“Therefore I want to challenge the banks, the farmers, entrepreneurs to come up with smart solutions within the cotton value
chain that include cooking oil, stock feed production and seed production after de-linking,” she said.
Ministers Haritatos and Mliswa toured the Kadoma Cotton Ginnery where production is nearing its peak installed capacity.
