Published on September 1st, 2015 | by lawilink
COTTON LOW HITS PRICES
COTTON FARMERS CRY OVER LOW PRICES OFFERED ON MARKET
Some cotton farmers in the country have expressed dissatisfaction with the prices that the crop fetched on the market this farming season. This comes as cotton buyers have closed markets. Stephen Kanyoza who is one of the farmers from Traditional Authority Liwonde in Machinga district said he is not amused with the prices that cotton buying companies offered on the market this farming season. Kanyoza further said seeds and pesticides loans that some cotton buying companies offered to farmers were exorbitant and blocked them from making profit out of their produce.
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Wilson Chilusya from Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka district concurred with Kanyoza on low prices the crop fetched. Chilusya further attributed low profit proceeds to heavy rains that hit the country early this year which were followed by dry spell. Chilusya said he expected good prices on the market but to his disappointment, cotton buyers did not live to his expectations.
Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation set K190 as minimum price for cotton , a thing which did not go well with cotton farmers in the country as they protested the price. By July 2, 2015 cotton was going at K210, same price which the crop fetched in 2013/2014 farming season. Some economic analyst from Southern African Development Community who convened in Zimbabwe in May this year attributed low cotton prices to low demand of the crop on the international market.
By Andrew Viano
