Cotton farmers fault buyers on payments

The Cotton Farmers Association of Malawi (Cofam) has faulted buyers for failing to pay farmers in good time after cotton sales.

The development comes amid a poor marketing season, low cotton supplies to the market and exit of four buyers from the market.

In an interview on Thursday, Cofam president George Nnesa said the development has since affected cotton farmers whose livelihood depend on the success of the commodity.

Said Nnesa: “We have been facing challenges where buyers are not able to pay farmers because they have run out of funds, a development which is affecting farmers.

“We appreciate that they also find it difficult to access the funds but we wish this could be rectified so that farmers can access their money on time,” he said.

In a separate interview, deputy director of Crop Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development and Cotton Council of Malawi interim secretary Bartholomew Ngauma said the council is yet discuss the progress of the cotton market where issues such as this will be tackled.

“Of cause we expected this to be happening but as a council, we will be meeting to discuss this and other issues at the council level and we will be able to come up with a proper position,” he said.

According to the second round crop estimates, Malawi cotton output is pegged at around 40 000 Metric tonnes.

For three years running, cotton production has been on the decline with the 2012/13 season, Malawi producing a record 100 000 metric tonnes of cotton before output fell by half to 45 000 metric tonnes the following year. n