Farmers push for early cotton marketing season

FARMERS have called for an early start to the 2025 cotton marketing season to prevent side-marketing and protect growers facing urgent household financial pressures.

Cotton harvesting is currently at peak stage in several parts of Zimbabwe as farmers await an announcement from the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) on the official opening date of the marketing season, producer prices and marketing arrangements.

The calls come after AMA's 2026 cotton validation report revealed a 33 percent increase in seed cotton output from 29,000 tonnes last year to 38,500 tonnes this season.

The authority has also indicated that it will tighten compliance measures for contractors and buyers.

AMA said it would not issue buyer licences to contractors operating in areas characterised by non-planting, low hectarage, failure to identify registered farmers and fields, failure to participate in validation exercises and cases of dual contracting.

Authorities also plan to enforce a stricter quota system at surrounding Common Buying Points (CBPs) where contractors were found to be non-compliant.

Last season, cotton farmers received US$0.41 per kilogramme for Grade A cotton, while 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 said farmers urgently needed cash to meet family obligations, particularly school fees.

"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 said.

Mr Mubonderi also expressed concern over the shortage of wool packs for farmers contracted by Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), warning that the delays could negatively affect cotton quality and harvesting efficiency.

"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 said.

Under Statutory Instrument 118 of 2022, compliant contractors are only permitted to purchase seed cotton allocated under their approved quota system.

The regulations also require contractors to provide adequate wool packs to growers by March 15 each year.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development recently, Cottco managing director Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha admitted that the company had failed to distribute wool packs on time due to financial 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 said.

Mr Chikasha added that negotiations with banks were progressing to ensure farmers are paid for this season's deliveries as well as outstanding arrears from previous years.

Meanwhile, the 2025/26 Crop, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment Report 2 (CLAFA 2) showed that cotton production increased by 26 percent, driven largely by expanded planting areas from 122,493 hectares in the 2024/25 season to 154,938 hectares in the 2025/26 season.