The Sunday Mail
Emilia Zindi recently in Muzarabani
Cotton merchants have called upon cotton farmers to strictly observe rules and regulations regarding pests and disease control in order to achieve maximum yields.
For half a decade, the farmers have been crying foul over the low prices being offered by the merchants. As a result, most of the estranged farmers have had to reduce their hectrage.
Among other things, farmers are expected to destroy cotton plants or stalks after harvesting as a way of controlling diseases which include the deadly Pink boll worm.
The Pink boll worm destroys and dries up the cotton bolls thereby resulting in the production of poor quality cotton.
Once infected, chemical control is not effective as the eggs and worms are protected between the cotton boll and the bracts which surround the boll. Therefore, management of the disease depends on a closed season to stop the pest from carrying over into the next season.
This closed season ensures that no living cotton plants are allowed for at least 66 days implanted by legal cotton destruction.
The Plant Pests and Diseases (Cotton) (Amendment) Regulations 1998 enforces the creation of a dead period or closed season by cotton farmers during which all cotton plants or stalks are destroyed so as to prevent population build-up and carry-over of the Pink boll worm (Pectinophora gossypiella).
The stipulated slashing dates of cotton stalks in the south-east Lowveld areas are from August 1 with destruction of the slashed stalks on August 15. Planting date in the same areas is from October 5.
The slashing is done by severing the stems below the first branch close to ground level so as to ensure no re-growth occurs. Destruction involves burning the slashed stalks.
Destruction is the total killing of cotton plants so that they are incapable of re-growth.
In the remainder of the country, slashing of the stalks is from August 15 with the destruction being on September 10 while planting dates are from October 20.
The cotton re-growth that is not destroyed act as hosts in which the boll worm harbour thereby becoming a source of carry-over to the next season.
It was observed that in most cases, farmers were not destroying the cotton stalks. This has allowed re-growth.
The re-growth plants were being re-fertilised in the new season. Most farmers were no longer planting new crop as they were depending on the re-growth crop which they argued produced maximum yields.
However, scientists have argued that the lint produced from re-growth cotton crop is of poor quality and not durable.
They continue to encourage farmers to plant new crops every season using recommended seed varieties.
Addressing hundreds of cotton farmers at Muzarabani Growth Point in Mashonaland Central recently, Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made, said the cotton industry became an important part of Zimbabwe’s agricultural economy since the 60s owing to tremendous research work on improved cotton varieties, best practices for integrated pest management and proper insecticide management.
Dr Made said Zimbabwe was among Southern and East Africa’s largest cotton producers.
He said the agriculture sector is the backbone of the Zimbabwe economy and it contributes between 15 and 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. While 40 percent of the produce is exported, 60 percent is absorbed by the local manufacturing industry as raw materials.
“As such my ministry targets to increase agricultural production and productivity as well as increase access of regional and international markets for an improved economy,’’ he said.
Dr Made said this could only be achieved through effective suppression of pests and diseases.
Cotton farmers have been on record calling for a reduction of cotton chemicals’ prices.
“The Pink boll worm destroys our harvest and drastically reduces the quality of cotton bolls that survive the attack. The pest does most of its economic damage while hiding inside the cotton boll. This makes it very difficult for chemical pesticides to control the pest. Therefore management of Pink boll worm requires all of us to observe the closed season,’’ he said.
“Please take heed and be warned that it is a punishable offence to keep cotton plant residues during closed seasons. Let us all be responsible and plant our cotton from seed,’’ said Dr Made.
Member of Parliament for the Constituency Cde Alfred Mufunga took the opportunity to air grievances of the Muzarabani people who are bemoaning the closure of the Muzarabani Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) Estate which was the brain behind the establishment of the Muzarabani Growth Point.
Cde Mufunga said since ARDA ceased operations on its estate, most people had lost their jobs.
Several machinery and a building are lying idle after the ginnery that had been opened by the authority was closed.
“There were more than 200 houses built by ARDA for workers. They are now collapsing as no one is living in them.
“Look at the ginnery here, it is just a white elephant now with no signs of revival. We appeal to Government to do something so that ARDA resumes its operations here,’’ he said.
