Zimbabwe may miss cotton target this season

17 Aug '13

2 min read

Zimbabwe is likely to miss its cotton production target of 250,000 tons set for the ongoing selling season, which is expected to close by the end of August.

For the current season, Agritex and farmers’ unions had set Zimbabwe’s cotton production target at 250,000 tons, while ginners had projected the output to touch 300,000 tons based on seed sales.

However, according to the data with the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), only about 123,000 tons of cotton was sold by farmers until August 2, 2013, The Herald reported.

The AMA said buyers were offering US 45 cents to US 58 cents per kg of cotton to farmers, compared to last season’s around US 30 cents per kg.

The lower prices offered to farmers last season, contributed to decline in production this season, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice president Berean Mukwende said.

Owing to lower prices offered last season, several farmers switched to growing tobacco or reduced their area under cotton during the current season, he added.

Late planting of seeds, and rains going away early before the crop gets fully developed, were also cited as reasons for decline in cotton production.

Meanwhile, Cotton Council spokesman Garikayi Msika said, farmers who rely on water conservation methods were able to get high yields.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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