Zimbabwe to develop cotton farming, launches three hybrid seeds

Despite cotton being one of the major foreign currency earners in the country, its production had been reduced in the past. (Image Credit: Wikimedia)

Zimbabwe Government says it is committed to reviving the cotton sector, which had been negatively affected by high production costs and low prices.

Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Davis Marapira, officially launched, new cotton hybrid seeds produced by Quton Seed Company and Indian agricultural firm Mahyco, in Glendale, Mazowe District.

The hybrids are Mahyco C571, Mahyco C567, and Mahyco C608. Despite cotton being one of the major foreign currency earners in the country, its production had been reduced in the past due to high production costs and low producer prices paid by ginners.

This forced most farmers to abandon the crop and move to tobacco and maize, which fetch more on the market.

Deputy Minister Marapira said in this launching programme, “let me assure you that Government remains committed to reviving the cotton sub-sector and has through various interventions such as the Presidential Inputs Programme, distributed 8000 tonnes of cottonseed to 400,000 farmers across the country.”

The government has also indicated willingness to offer competitive prices to farmers to ensure viability as this year Government is expecting a huge jump in cotton production.

The launch of the new cotton hybrids indicates Quinton's new partnership with its major investor, Mahyco an agricultural firm based in India.