Cotton harvesting is at present at peak stage in a number of components of Zimbabwe as farmers await an announcement from the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) on the official opening date of the advertising season, producer costs and advertising preparations.
The calls come after AMA’s 2026 cotton validation report revealed a 33 % improve in seed cotton output from 29,000 tonnes final yr to 38,500 tonnes this season.
The authority has additionally indicated that it’ll tighten compliance measures for contractors and patrons.
AMA stated it will not concern purchaser licences to contractors working in areas characterised by non-planting, low hectarage, failure to determine registered farmers and fields, failure to take part in validation workouts and circumstances of twin contracting.
Authorities additionally plan to implement a stricter quota system at surrounding Common Buying Points (CBPs) the place contractors had been discovered to be non-compliant.
Last season, cotton farmers acquired US$0.41 per kilogramme for Grade A cotton, whereas Grade B fetched US$0.37, Grade C US$0.34 and Grade D US$0.30.
Cotton Producers and Marketers Association chairman Mr Stewart Mubonderi stated farmers urgently wanted money to fulfill household obligations, notably college charges.
“Farmers are ready to sell their crop to get cash, especially with the opening of schools, they need cash for fees. The prompt opening of the marketing season will eradicate surrogate buyers (who offer cash and low prices), reduce side marketing and protect contractors,” he stated.
Mr Mubonderi additionally expressed concern over the scarcity of wool packs for farmers contracted by Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), warning that the delays may negatively have an effect on cotton high quality and harvesting effectivity.
“The cotton harvesting has reached its peak period and the unavailability of woolpacks exposes farmers to fire damage and theft. We are waiting for AMA to announce the price and unveil this year’s marketing modalities under the quota system,” he stated.
Under Statutory Instrument 118 of 2022, compliant contractors are solely permitted to buy seed cotton allotted underneath their permitted quota system.
The rules additionally require contractors to offer sufficient wool packs to growers by March 15 every year.
Appearing earlier than the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development just lately, Cottco managing director Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha admitted that the corporate had did not distribute wool packs on time on account of monetary challenges.
“As a result of the challenges that we have financially, we could not manage to secure woolpacks in time. But we have made provisions for alternative packaging material that we are going to use this season,” he stated.
Mr Chikasha added that negotiations with banks had been progressing to make sure farmers are paid for this season’s deliveries in addition to excellent arrears from earlier years.
Meanwhile, the 2025/26 Crop, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment Report 2 (CLAFA 2) confirmed that cotton manufacturing elevated by 26 %, pushed largely by expanded planting areas from 122,493 hectares within the 2024/25 season to 154,938 hectares within the 2025/26 season.