Hybrid seeds can drive cotton output to 600 000 tonnes
ZIMBABWE could boost cotton production to as much as 600 000 tonnes if farmers increase the use of hybrid seeds, Cottco managing director Pious Manamike has said.
Last year, the country produced 130 000 tonnes of the fibre, but indications are that output may fall this year due to poor rains in most cotton producing regions.
Mr Manamike said Cottco, which administers the Presidential Cotton Inputs Scheme, has since requested the Government to avail more hybrid seeds after research on the feasibility of using high-yielding hybrid variety yielded encouraging results.
“Current seed varieties are now tired and have lost purity,” said Mr Manamike.
“Current yields at 350 kg per hectare make the farmer unviable and cotton unprofitable. “At this level, national production from 400 000 farmers cannot exceed 150 000 tonnes,” said Mr Manamike
Mr Manamike said the research had shown the use of hybrid seeds gives a minimum yield of 1 500 kg per hectare, translating to income of US$800, at a price of US40c per kg.
“Cottco has requested the Government to buy hybrid seeds under the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
“The first phase is to purchase 1 000 tonnes of hybrid seeds and 4 000 tonnes of open pollinated varieties. This will result in 200 000 ha covered by hybrid seeds and the other 200 000 tonnes covered by OPVs. The expected result will be 300 000 tonnes from hybrid crops and 70 000 tonnes from OPVs, giving a total of 370 000 tonnes.
“Phase two is to get 2 000 tonnes of hybrid seeds to cover all 400 000 farmers and the expected output in 600 000 tonnes,” Mr Manakike added.
This puts Zimbabwe among the largest cotton producers in Africa.
Farmers are urging the Government to ramp up the use of hybrid seeds to boost productivity and cut the risk of crop failures, as traditional open varieties (OPVs) are getting more susceptible to recurring droughts, pests and diseases.
Faced with climate induced droughts, Zimbabwe adopted hybrid varieties that need less water to boost productivity and “the output has been encouraging,” farmers said.
Despite contributing less than 3 percent of global greenhouse emissions, African countries, including Zimbabwe, are bearing the biggest brunt of extreme weather conditions characterised by unreliable rainfall, threatening crop yields and food security.
Farmers who spoke to The Herald Finance & Business said the risk factor of using hybrid varieties was lower compared to OPVs and implored the Government to boost its use.
Cotton is one of Zimbabwe’s major cash crops and contributes significantly to economic growth and improved livelihoods among growers.-The Herald
