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Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
A BOOM in cotton production in Matabeleland region is expected following the delivery of inputs under the 2017/18 Presidential Inputs Support Scheme by Cottco.

Cottco Matabeleland area manager, Mr Innocent Ncube, said a number of districts in Matabeleland North and South provinces had already been allocated cotton inputs.

“At the moment we are receiving Compound L, Ammonium Nitrate (AN) and cotton seed. This is what we are receiving across all the districts in Matabeleland North although we are still to receive any allocation for Bubi and Umguza districts. In Matabeleland South we have received consignments for three districts namely Insiza, Matobo and Mangwe,” said Mr Ncube.

He said 11 779 of 50 kilogramme bags of Compound L fertiliser, 1360 x 50 kg AN and 12 850 x 50 kg cotton seed had been allocated to Matabeleland region. Registration of farmers to participate under the Cotton Presidential Inputs Support Scheme has begun.

“Farmer registration is going on right now and next week (this week) we will be identifying inputs clerks, which will be in charge of distributing the inputs we have received in all the districts,” said Mr Ncube.

He said Cottco was making concerted efforts to ensure increased production of the white gold in Matabeleland. The region is not a traditionally cotton growing area.

“We are still in the process of putting up structures, which will make us to be visible and this includes having at least 500 area coordinators, group chairpersons with each group comprising a lead farmer who will be responsible for training other farmers. Cotton farming is not usually in this area so we started off by sensitising a number of institutions about it,” said Mr Ncube.

Cotton would also be produced in other areas such as Manicaland, parts of Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East and the traditional growing area of Midlands.

The Presidential Inputs Support Scheme has revived the cotton industry, which was on the verge of collapse due to low prices offered by merchants.

Most farmers in cotton growing areas had abandoned producing the crop as prices had plunged to as low as US0,30 cents per kilogramme.

Some had shifted to paprika, groundnuts and maize, while others left their fields fallow as they had no alternative crops suitable for their areas.

The Government had to intervene by including cotton under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.

Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development show that the area put under cotton during this year increased by 49 percent from 105 000 hectares last year to 155 000 hectares.

Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (Agritex) Matabeleland North provincial officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said the decline in cotton production in the province was largely due to delay in payments as well as a fall in prices.

“We have always grown cotton in this province and traditional areas have been some parts of Lupane, Binga in Lusulu, Siabuwa and Chunga. It was once grown in Bubi, Umguza, Tsholotsho and Hwange districts but farmers ended up quitting due to payment issues as well as its low price, which was a result of an international fall of the cotton price.

“So we are anticipating more people grow it this season under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme and Agritex officers are going around registering farmers. It is also important to note that Matabeleland North produces a cotton crop, which is of good quality,” said Mr Nyoni.

Matabeleland South Agritex provincial officer Mr Masauso Mawocha said production of cotton in the province has always been at its lowest ebb but with the distribution of inputs and technical support from Cottco prospects of an increased hectarage under the crop.

“There is a Cottco representative who is going round our districts raising awareness over the importance of growing cotton. However, as a province we haven’t been growing much with only about five hectares being grown in Filabusi, Insiza District and just above three in Beitbridge by a farmer called Zondani Sibanda who has even participated at cotton producers’ competitions.

“However, with Cottco seeming to be putting a lot of effort, I think the hectarage might increase because the company even supports in offering farmers training and I think farmers should go for it,” said Mr Mawocha.

Agricultural and Rural Development Authority’s Antelope Estate in Kezi District is expected to resume cotton growing as the Government seeks to reposition the farm as the hub of cotton growing in Matabeleland South.

The farm used to come tops among the biggest cotton- producing farms under Arda.

Cotton is important because of its contribution to the textile industry, edible oil and stock feed manufacturing.

Cotton is a vital crop in terms of value addition, employment and import substitution. Cotton is an anchor crop just like tobacco, sugar cane and horticultural crops. For the past season Government has been supporting cotton farmers through input packages and this programme will be carried out in three years. Government has invested $42 million for the cotton inputs scheme.

@DNsingo