by Christopher Makaza
The cotton industry is witnessing an overwhelming response in the registration of new cotton farmers as Government continues to avail free cotton inputs under the Presidential Input Support Scheme.
About 150 000 new farmers have expressed interest to grow the white gold this 2018/2019 farming season.
In an interview with Harare Post, Cotton Producers and Marketers Association National Chairman, Stewart Mubonderi highlighted that the Presidential Input Support Scheme has helped a lot in luring farmers to join the cotton industry.
“We are really happy with the way people are responding to cotton growing. Our efforts to revive the cotton industry are bearing fruits as more and more farmers are registering to grow cotton. Farmers are being inspired by the Presidential Input Support Scheme which is offering free cotton inputs to interested farmers.
“Distribution of cotton inputs under the Presidential input support scheme is currently underway across the country and the good thing is that farmers are receiving their inputs in time and they have more time to prepare their land and other logistics. We are also excited that we have managed to fight side marketing. On that issue, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Culture and Rural resettlement, Cde Perrence Shiri assisted us through instructing Agricultural Marketing Authority, AMA to effectively monitor the registration and activities of cotton buyers,” he said.
Mr Mubonderi revealed that current cotton deliveries for this marketing season are at 122 000 tonnes out of the targeted 250 000 tonnes and more deliveries are still coming in. He dismissed claims by opposition political parties that the Presidential Input Support Scheme is a political tool meant for vote buying.
“This input scheme is not a political gimmick as said by MDC Alliance leaders. It`s for every Zimbabwean who is interested in farming. We are, however, encouraging beneficiaries to desist from selling inputs on the black market. They must fully utilise them to maximise their production,” he said.
