Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
The cotton industry is set to benefit from a significant capital injection as part of a US$1 billion tranche of funds to be granted to the country by the Afreximbank.
Scores of farmers in the Chief Negomo area of Chiweshe have benefitted from inputs from COTTCO targeting to boost production of the white gold in the area.
“I farm at Nzvimbo and I am happy with these inputs I have received from the President. I once farmed cotton and there was a field day at my farm so I am going to farm extensively,” said a beneficiary.
“I am happy with this programme I will go to the field and farm cotton so well to an extent I will record a bumper harvest,” said another.
Chief Negomo also received inputs, urging the people of Chiweshe to lead by example in reviving cotton production.
“I did not know we still had cotton farmers here. Growing up we used to produce cotton, I used to wonder what had happened to cotton production. This program had died but Chinanga has re-introduced it. Now I promise you we will have a good harvest from here,” he said.
Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Honourable Christopher Magomo challenged beneficiaries of the inputs to work hard.
“Let’s produce cotton for the country, so that we do not continue to wear second hand clothes. Let’s farm cotton for our industries to be revived and wear new clothes. The issue of wearing second hand clothes is not sustainable, it killed the industry for us to wear second hand clothes. Suppose a t-shit is selling at 50 cents and yet when you want to farm you want to be paid 50 cents per kg. Where will the people rush to?,” he indicated.
According to the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy of 2023 to 2025, cotton production is one of the major drivers of agriculture GDP growth, contributing 12 percent of the US$8.5 billion United States dollars generated in 2022.
