Some 300,000 farmers grow cotton in the country’s semi-arid regions. But the depressed global cotton market, coupled with transport challenges and lack of inputs, has almost bankrupted them.
“When cotton was still being bought at a better price I would pay fees for my six children for the whole year from two bales. Money from one bale was equivalent to a cow or a tonne of maize. But now you need five bales to buy a tonne of maize or a cow,” said Sanjowo.
Cotton traders have been locked in a bitter dispute with farmers over prices since the beginning of the current marketing season in April. They proposed what they termed a “seasonal pool price” of $0,30 per kg, to be adjusted if prices on the international markets improved. Government stepped in and Agriculture Minister Joseph Made announced a fixed price for A grade cotton at $0.84 per kg, and $0,81 for B grade. – Moses Chibaya
But most farmers who spoke to The Zimbabwean said they had not yet been paid the new rate. Overall cotton output for 2012 is expected to rise from 250,000 tons last year to about 280,000 tons. Government removed subsidies on the crop about a decade ago. Nearly 95% of the crop is grown under contract to big processing firms due to lack of access to capital by small farmers to finance production, which leaves them vulnerable to exploitation.
Post published in: Agriculture