Zimbabwe cotton farmers may have something to smile about as government has assured them that they will get their outstanding payments from last marketing season by May 31.
Cottco owes farmers $1.5 billion from last season.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka confirmed that payments will be settled by end of this month.
Responding to questions from legislators in Parliament, Minister Masuka said the electronic payments were last year disrupted prompting Cottco to partly pay farmers in the form of groceries.
“May I also take the opportunity to reassure the House and cotton farmers that the outstanding dues to farmers from 2020 selling season will be paid out by the 31st May, 2021.
“The 2020’s marketing season we had macro-economic challenges and then payment, electronic money was disrupted to some extent and then Cottco opted to part pay farmers in the form of groceries.
“A balance is also due to those farmers as Government support. Now that the economy has stabilised, inflation is coming down and the payment system has been put in place, we all hope that the payment for cotton farmers this season will proceed seamlessly and smoothly and that farmers will receive their due payments,” he said.
The 2021 marketing season starts on May 18 with farmers expecting to be paid $85 per kilogramme.