Cotton Council of Malawi says it is optimistic that the sector will achieve the 20 000 metric tonnes (MT) projected output this season despite concerns that cotton pests and drought dampened affected the crop in some areas.
The council’s spokesperson Prisca Jamali said this on Tuesday as the cotton market clocks six weeks, with reports indicating sales are moving at the right pace, thanks to proper coordination with Admarc Limited.
The assurance followed concerns from industry stakeholders that although this year’s production is above last year’s, there were three setbacks, including an outbreak of cotton aphids (pests) that affected production in some areas such as Salima.
in Salima. | Nation
In an interview on Tuesday, Robert Phiri, a cotton farmer in Salima District, who has produced 50 bales weighing 100 kilogrammes (kg) each, said he expected to produce between 80 and 90 bales, but pests and drought affected part of his field.
He said: “This year we have seen an improved cotton production. Our farming started well, but later there was an outbreak of aphids, which affected most farmers and eventually dampened production.
“I assume that the 50 bales I have produced is about 60 percent of what I anticipated. However, with a price of K1 200 per kg, it is better than last year when the price was at K900 per kg.”
In a separate interview on Tuesday, Joel Malego, agricultural extension officer and cotton desk officer for Chinguluwe Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Salima, said key challenges that affected cotton this season are poor germination, drought and pests.
He said: “We expected high cotton production because there were interventions in terms of seed supply.
“Farmers received seeds on loan of about five kg per hectare.”
Malego saidChinguluwe EPA is expected to produce 718 kg per hectare, translating to K239 metric tonnes (MT) from 334 hectares.
But Jamali said even though the said setbacks would dampen production in some areas, national estimates still remain at 20 000MT.
She said: “This is still an estimate and we are hoping that even if the volume decreases, but it will not be far away from the from the projected volume.”
Earlier, stakeholders in the industry hailed the structured market approach this year where the crop is being sold through Admarc Limited depots and farmers are paid digitally through banks and mobile wallets.
The system, which uses Admarc Limited depots as markets, prohibits side selling and side buying, which causes losses to investors and exploitation of farmers. The digital system ensures tracking of transactions, allowing the funds to revolve within the sector.
Afrasian field manager Clement Kachinga, whose firm is one of the cotton buyers, is quoted as having commended the digital payment system for its safety considering that both buyers and farmers are not carrying cash before or after transactions minimising cases of theft.
He said: “With this system in place, consistent and substantial investments in the cotton subsector will make a meaningful contribution towards foreign exchange earnings, job creation and general farmer income.
“Both the buyers and farmers can do business without cash, which is the way to go.”
During the 2024/25 growing season, cotton seed multiplication was done in the country by Masapa Cotton Ginners in collaboration with Solidalidad and Kvuno to deal with seed challenges, which contributed to the low production of cotton in the recent years.
Last year, the country produced 8 000MT of cotton and earned $3 million (about K5.9 billion, a drop from the previous year’s $5.7 million (about K10 billion).
