The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) is calling on farmers to prepare their land in anticipation of the early rains.
Cottco CEO, Rockie Mutenha, urged cotton growers to take swift action to maximize their yield and ensure a productive farming season.
"We are almost in the month of October, we understand the rains will be coming fairly soon and we are encouraging farmers to do the necessary land preparation and take advantage of the early rains to plant cotton so that they get the yield," Mutenha said.
In his address, Mutenha highlighted that Cottco has already started distributing essential inputs to registered farmers. However, he issued a stern warning about the misuse of these supplies, citing past incidents where farmers sold the inputs instead of using them for cotton production.
"We are currently distributing inputs to farmers who are registered with the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe, and we want to advise farmers that once they receive the inputs, they are for the production of cotton and not for resale. There are some farmers who in the past have been known to sell some inputs. We want to encourage you to ensure that the inputs are used for the correct purpose," he said.
He also addressed the issue of leftover stock from last year's planting season, particularly the seed that some farmers still hold. He advised that all leftover seed should be returned to Cottco for testing to ensure its viability for the upcoming planting season.
"There is carryover stock from last year, especially seed. We are encouraging farmers to ensure that you return that seed to Cotton Company of Zimbabwe for germination tests. If the test is done and we don't achieve the correct results, that seed will be replaced, and the farmer will be given a new seed at no cost to the farmer at all. Therefore, we encourage farmers to return the seed to Cottco so that we carry out the germination test," Mutenha said.
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He further clarified misconceptions surrounding "retained seed" from the previous year's presidential input scheme saying that cotton grown using these government-provided inputs must be delivered to Cottco, refuting the notion that farmers can sell the produce as "free cotton."
"Whilst we are still talking about retained seed, there's a misconception that retained seed or seed that was left over from last year is for free cotton. There is nothing like that. The seed was given under the presidential input scheme, and therefore the cotton that comes out of that seed will have to be delivered to the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe," Mutenha said.
He added that only farmers who purchase their own inputs -- such as seed, fertilizer, and chemicals -- can grow and sell what is considered "free cotton."
"Free cotton is where a farmer buys his own inputs: seed, fertilizer, and chemicals. Then he grows a crop that is free cotton. But any cotton that is produced from presidential inputs, the cotton or the produce must be delivered to the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe," he said.
