Cotton side marketers risk losing out on free inputs

Farmers who were contracted by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) last year but did not deliver their produce will not receive free Government inputs unless they have a satisfactory explanation, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka said this during a stakeholders’ conference on the proposed cotton production enhancement and marketing arrangements for the 2023/24 season.

Stakeholders in attendance included officials from cotton contractors, the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) and Government.

“Farmers that received Presidential cotton inputs last season but did not deliver their cotton to Cottco will receive their inputs on an explain and receive basis, and if the explanation is satisfactory, they will then receive the inputs to ensure accountability,” said Dr Masuka.

He said his Ministry will engage Rural District Councils and AMA to reduce levies that they are charging contractors to ensure a favourable business environment.
AMA charges contractors between US$10 000 and US$20 000 for licences and the proposed reduction would enhance accountability and variability through uniform extension reducing and eliminating side marketing.

The main distribution committee for the Presidential cotton inputs will comprise the area councillor and representatives from the Agricultural Advisory Services (ARDA), local headmasters, Ministries of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture while security agents will oversee, and the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will account for the cotton delivered.

Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Dr Masuka dismissed the assertion that there is partisan distribution of inputs.

“I do not know where partisan distribution would come in when I say this is a contracted programme with eight contractors, Cottco being one of them. We have said this goes to common inputs distribution points in the open, where the councillor for the area is the chairman.

“The chief’s appointee is the Vice Chairman, all the headmen and all the village heads are members. The Agritex is the secretary, the headmaster of the nearest school is the Vice Chair and everyone is involved in distribution.

“This is the lowest structure of elected Government distributing at ward level, the councillor. If the honourable Member has suggestions on how we can improve this and avoid non-partisanship, I would really appreciate this in writing, indicating how this would be improved,” he said.

He indicated that this year, 270 000 hectares of cotton is expected to be grown.

Cotton is mostly grown under contract arrangements in Zimbabwe with ginners providing inputs and buying the produced seed cotton.

The Government through Cottco is the main contractor accounting for more than 85 percent of all cotton production. —NewZiana/Business Writer