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Tawanda Mangoma, Harare Bureau
Government has challenged farmers in Mwenezi to increase cotton production to over 8 000 tonnes per season to influence the setting up of a new ginnery in the district.

Addressing farmers during the launch of the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme at Rutenga Business Centre, Masvingo provincial administrator Mr Fungai Mbetsa said the district has potential to reclaim its place as a major cotton producer.

He said with plans to develop Rutenga into an inland border town on the cards, cotton processing would be one key industrialisation drivers for the area.

“Your district’s cotton production levels must reach 8 000 tonnes per season from the current 3 000 tonnes, which you have been producing during the past seasons,” said Mr Mbetsa.

“Cottco has said they are prepared to install a new ginnery that would create employment for the locals, process your cotton into lint and other by products here in Rutenga.”

Mr Mbetsa said cotton farmers who had abandoned the production of the crop due to various reasons must take advantage of the ongoing presidential inputs scheme in which farmers are receiving all inputs for the production of the crop for free.

He said the inputs programme was not a political tool, but rather a serious drive to revive the country’s agriculture sector.

“Government wants you to produce more cotton, we want you to produce more cattle, maize, tobacco among other crops because we want to reclaim our breadbasket status in Southern Africa,” said Mr Mbetsa.

“This is not a political tool, elections are gone, but inputs are still coming. The distribution of inputs was not linked to the election period, but rather a drive to empower the farmer for the benefit of his family and the country at large.

“Our farmers are very important and that is why Government is strengthening support through the Presidential Inputs Scheme, Command Agriculture Programmes, among other drives. This is a clear testimony of how our country is being led towards the revival of critical sectors of the economy.”

Cottco’s operations manager Ms Marjorie Chaniwa said farmers must improve the plant population per hectare to realise reasonable returns per unit area.

“We are giving you everything to put 400 000ha under cotton nationally,” she said. “As we speak, inputs have already started being delivered to various cotton buying points dotted around the country and this shows you how serious we are at availing inputs to you on time.

“Now that we have managed to re-engage each other, our focus now is at improving the yield potential per unit area. We must make use of the extension workers whom the company would second to your areas.

“We want the best from you and we assure you that with team work we can improve our yields and see us being challenged to install a new ginnery here.”

Meanwhile, Cottco has sub-contracted ETG Parrogate, a private cotton merchant, to process over 5 000 tonnes of cotton into lint.

Cottco in the Lowveld region has surpassed the 25 000 tonnes target for this selling season.