Some cotton farmers in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts have been hit hard by floods that have swept away their crop, a development that will likely affect the crop’s output.

Cotton Farmers Association president Dickson Gundani said in an interview on Sunday that six extension planning areas have been affected by the floods following heavy rains.

Cotton is one of the lucrative cash crops along its value chain

He said it will be difficult for farmers to find money to replant because the recommended cotton seeds are expensive.

Gundani said: “We have requested government through the Cotton Council of Malawi to intervene by providing cotton seeds to the affected farmers.

“We cannot just say this predicament has happened and it ends there. Farmers need to be supported, otherwise, the anticipated outcome will be affected.”

He said despite last year’s poor showing of the crop due to low prices hovering around K377 and K400 per kilogramme, farmers have cultivated the crop.

Gundani said cotton ginners have also supported farmers with certified seeds, including other inputs.

“Farmers are hoping that prices will be better this year because competition on the market from several buyers will work to our advantage as farmers,” Gundani said.

Secretary for Agriculture Sandram Maweru on Sunday acknowledged the situation, saying government was assessing the damage.

“We have instructed our colleagues on the ground to give us the areas affected. We are assessing the impact to help us decide what sort of assistance government can provide.”

Agriculture development policy expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula called for value addition instead of exporting the crop in its raw form.

He said most of the cotton is produced for overseas markets such as China, but with Covid-19, Malawi should not only invest in production but processing as well.

Nkhono Mvula said: “We need to swiftly revamp the cotton manufacturing and processing industries to manufacture cotton associated products.

“Low investment in industrial production is a huge risk for agricultural development and to the economy.”

African Institute of Corporate Citizenship cotton market analysis show the sector is coming from a record low production of the 2018/19 season which was around 10 000 metric tonnes (MT).

In the 2019/20 season, Treasury injected K1 billion to boost the sector, resulting in output increasing to 25 000MT.

Cotton is one of the lucrative cash crops ranking fourth as the country’s foreign exchange earner after tobacco, tea and sugar.

Malawi exports 100 percent lint and cotton seed to Asia and South Africa

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