Cotton farmers in quandary

COTTON farmers in the Midlands Province are in quandary over whether or not to plant the crop amid fears that they could suffer losses

The farmers have over the years complained about the low producer prices for the crop which were preventing them from breaking even. The situation has forced most cotton farmers to consider quitting the cotton farming business, arguing the “white gold” had lost its lustre and genetically modified cotton is fast replacing genuine cotton. In separate interviews, cotton farmers said they were still confused as to whether or not to stick to their traditional crop.

“Cotton farming is largely labour intensive, there are a lot of inputs that are needed until harvest time, but the producer prices that Government announces are not attractive.

“Most farmers end up selling their crops at loss and so most of us are slowly quitting cotton farming,” said Mr Liberty Nkomo, a cotton farmer from Gokwe.

Another farmer, Mr Cephas Zamba, also of Gokwe said cotton farmers had in the previous years tried contract farming, but had not found any joy.

“Under contract farming, companies would provide us with all inputs, but the challenge we have been facing in previous years is that these companies end up handing us to debt collectors after we would have failed to meet their targets. Some of us have lost our livestock and other valuable assets this way,” he said.