Zimbabwe's once-thriving cotton industry is facing its worst season in years, with production likely to plummet due to the devastating effect of the El Niño-induced drought.
Last year, Zimbabwe produced about 90 000 tonnes of cotton, primarily cultivated by small-scale farmers participating in the Government's free input scheme. "This drought is a devastating blow," said Mr Tavaziva Munherendi, the leader of farmers in the Gambiza-Machipisa area of Sanyati."My expected yield is barely a quarter of what I harvested last year. Some farmers may not even harvest anything at all."
Echoing similar concerns, the Zimbabwe Farmers Union's national cotton chairman, Mr Ishmael Pande, also a farmer in Sanyati, pointed out that most of the region last received rains in early January. Farmers in Gokwe shared similar experiences. Mr Stanford Kambanje, who farms in the Chinyenyetu area of Gokwe North, recounted receiving the rains mid-January, with no subsequent precipitation.There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
Last year, he earned the prestigious Grower of the Year award after a successful harvest of 57 bales. This year, however, the drought has taken a heavy toll, and he will struggle to even reach four bales.