Zimbabwe: ‘All seed cotton will be in the ginneries by mid-October’

The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) has assured farmers that all seed cotton held at community purchasing points (CBPs) will be moved to ginning plants by mid-October, while outstanding 2024 payments will also be cleared.

This follows outrage from farmers who claim that some of the 2024 seed cotton is still at certain CBPs, while the local currency component (€0.08 equivalent) is yet to arrive.

The Chairman of the Cotton Producers and Marketers Association (CPMA), Mr Stewart Mubonderi, said seed cotton in some CBPs had been damaged by last week’s rains.

“Cottco has not yet picked seed cotton in some CBPs in areas such as Mutoko, Chiredzi and Binga and the cotton has been damaged by the rain that fell last week. Farmers have also not paid their local currency component for the harvest plus the quality-based differences,” he explained.

Cottco CEO, Mr Rockie Mutenha, yesterday promised that all seed cotton would be moved from CBPs to ginning plants for ginning.

“We have moved 76 percent of all seed cotton from all our six business units (BUs) to ginners and we are making frantic efforts to ensure that the remaining batch is moved by mid-October.

“We have paid between 45 and 50 percent of the amount due to farmers in local currency (ZiG),” he said.

Mr Mutenha revealed that they had a facility with a local bank to pay the full amount but the bank was facing liquidity issues but has promised to disburse the money soon for immediate payment to the farmers.