Govt targets 5 000 hectares of cotton output annually

23 Aug, 2015 - 00:08 0 Views
Govt targets 5 000 hectares of cotton output annually

The Sunday News

GOKWE – Government is targeting to increase the country’s cotton production to 5 000 hectares over the next five years by expediting the implementation of the Cotton-to-Clothing Industry policy, an official has said. Speaking during a cotton stalk destruction awareness campaign recently a director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development’s Department of Research and Specialists Services Dr Dumisani Kutywayo said projects are under way to boost the cotton sector to benefit both the farmers by improving the cotton quality to meet the international market.

“Government under the Zim Asset is targeting the growth of the cotton production with 5000 hectares for the coming five years through quick implementation of the Cotton for Clothing Industry policy.

“The Research Institute of Agriculture is doing a number of projects to boost the cotton quality to compete on the international market and generate revenue to boost the sector,” he said.

Currently cotton is being sold on the market at a flat fee of $0, 30 due to decline in quality which is resulting low exports.
“Farmers must continue to grow cotton and follow the rules and laws of how to grow the white gold to maintain its quality,” he said.
He added that Government is aware of the decline of cotton prices and measures are going to be taken.

A survey conducted by the plant research and plant quarantine has concluded that the quality of cotton has declined due to farmers who are no longer following cotton growing regulations through use of one crop for many years and that will result in the accumulation of diseases.

In a speech read on his behalf during the same event director for Plant Quarantine in the Ministry of Agriculture Dr Cames Mguni urged cotton growers to follow cotton rules and laws to maintain the cotton quality and increase yields to compete on the world market.

“Cotton has remained as a critical crop which farmers must adhere to its policies to increase yields and maintain the standard and this can be achieved through use of researched information by farmers.

“Farmers must destroy cotton plants after every harvest to reduce the accumulation of pests and diseases which are affecting the crop and this also reduces costs on the growing of the crop,” said Dr Mguni.

“Cotton production accounts for more than 75 percent of household income for cotton farmers.
The secret to our achievements lies in the continues emphasis on the careful use of pesticides in combination with appropriate cultural practices which kept our average number of spays below those recorded in other countries with comparable yields.”

“However, one of the major concerns is the destruction of cotton quality and hygiene since 90s making Zimbabwean less productive and competitive on the international market,” he said.

The awareness campaign is running under the theme “Reclaiming the cotton productivity and quality”, and will be conducted in Gokwe, Sanyati, Mwenezi, Cheche and Rushinga aiming to enlighten cotton growers. – BH24

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