The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has extended the 2024 cotton marketing season to 31 July as farmers in different areas still have cotton maturing in their fields.
This year’s cotton marketing season was supposed to run up to 06 July.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/business/article/200029696/cotton-marketing-session-extended">NewsDay</a>, AMA chief executive officer Clever Isaya said that late rains and drought resulted in the late maturing of cotton. Said Isaya:
<blockquote>
We had a delay in the last farming season because of the late rains and the droughts. Right now, there are still farmers in different farming areas who still have their cotton seeds maturing and still preparing for sale…
There were low yields, and it has been challenging, characterised by a late and false start of the rains followed by prolonged dry spells.
</blockquote>
AMA extended the cut-off marketing dates for farmers in Mashonaland Central, Gokwe, Chiredzi, Sanyati, Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Marondera, and Mutare, with the longest extension ending on July 31, 2024.
Isaya said that cases of side marketing have been relatively few this season due to the quota system implemented earlier this year. He said:
<blockquote>
We have had very isolated cases of side marketing. This season, we implemented the quota system, and it has been very instrumental in dealing with side marketing.
There were very few cases, I think we only recorded only two cases of side marketing.
</blockquote>
AMA implemented a quota system that was based on the level of support each contractor had provided to farmers during the current agricultural season.
Under the quota system, no contractor was permitted to purchase crops outside of their assigned quota, except for self-financed crops.
Meanwhile, AMA set this season’s minimum prices for the “white gold” at US$0,43 per kg for Grade A, US$0,39/kg (Grade B), US$0,36/kg (Grade C) and US$0,32 (Grade D).
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The cotton marketing season has been extended to July 31 because some cotton is still growing late due to late rains and drought. The extension is for areas like Mashonaland Central, Gokwe, Chiredzi, Sanyati, Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Marondera, and Mutare. There have been few cases of side marketing this season because of a quota system. The minimum prices for cotton this season are US$0.43 per kg for Grade A, US$0.39/kg for Grade B, US$0.36/kg for Grade C, and US$0.32/kg for Grade D.

Cotton Marketing Season Extended

The 2024 cotton selling season is set to run from 01 to 30 June, with consultations on the grade-based pricing system currently underway.
Speaking during the post-Cabinet briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Jenfan Muswere, said that cotton farmers will receive 75 per cent of their payments in US dollars and 25 per cent in ZiG. He said:
<blockquote>
Cabinet advises that the 2024 cotton marketing season will be from 1 to 30 June 2024. Farmers will receive 75% of their payments in US$ and 25% in ZiG.
All outstanding payments by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe amounting to US$2,65 million and 2,8 million in ZiG will be cleared by 31 May 2024.
The grade-based pricing system will be announced once ongoing consultations are concluded.
</blockquote>
The cotton output is expected to be lower than during the 2022/23 season due to the devastating effects of the El Nino weather pattern.
Last week, the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO), said it has paid the US$21 million it owed cotton farmers, with U$323 642 remaining uncollected despite several notices to farmers to do so.
Cotton is one of Zimbabwe’s major agricultural exports but yields have declined over the years due to several factors.
According to the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), the country’s cotton production increased by 67% to 89,6 million kilogrammes during the 2022/23 farming season.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Cotton Marketing Season Set For June

The 2023 cotton marketing season has been extended to the end of this month to allow farmers to complete delivering their crop.
Deliveries currently stand at over 86 000 tonnes but are expected to reach 100 000 tonnes, doubling the harvest from last year (48 000 tonnes).
Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) business director Jonathan Mukuruba told <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/cotton-marketing-season-extended-to-end-of-month/">The Herald</a> that the extension of the marketing season is meant to ensure that all farmers complete delivering their crop. He said:
<blockquote>
We received requests that there are some other areas that did not finish delivering their crop hence we have decided to extend the marketing season to the end of August to ensure that all farmers complete delivering their crop.
</blockquote>
Statistics released by AMA show that the four cotton buyers purchased 85 920 590 kg of seed cotton valued at US$28 440 927 and $22 885 283 553 in local currency.
The increase in cotton production this season has been attributed to the provision of free inputs by the Government and the classification of cotton as an export crop this season.
This year, cotton farmers are paid 85 percent of their total sales in United States dollars and the remainder will be paid in Zimbabwe dollars at prevailing interbank exchange rates upon delivery of the crop at any COTTCO buying point.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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