ZNFU concerned with low cotton prices

Jervis Zimba

The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has noted with concern that Cotton Ginners are offering low prices this marketing season compared to last year.

In a statement, ZNFU president Jervis Zimba says it has come to the attention of the union that some Ginners are offering very poor prices, some as low as K3 per kg with only one cotton association offering K4 per kg.

He says it is sad that the cotton industry has continued to underperform over the years due to extremely poor prices offered by ginners.

Mr. Zimba says Ginners have continued to ride on the farmers’ sweat by swindling them out of their produce through the offer of non-cost reflective prices, which will inject more poverty in the farmers.

He states that the Union is aware of a major company that is sabotaging the cotton farmers’ drive to recovery by spearheading the price of K3 per kg despite the favourable offers for lint, seed cotton and fuzzy cotton on the international market.

Mr Zimba has since called for a meeting between the Cotton Board, Ginners and the ZNFU to resolve this problem amicably and urgently.

The ZNFU President has since urged all cotton farmers not to sell their crop until new price offers are announced that would create a win-win situation amongst all players in the cotton industry.