The Government has ordered the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) to set up a centralised national grower registry, a bold move aimed at eliminating double-dipping, ensuring seed cotton is sold through designated points, and conducting thorough crop validation exercises during planting seasons.
The announcement was made by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Vangelis Haritatos, at the recent cotton indaba in Kwekwe, hosted by AMA.
Deputy Minister Haritatos described side marketing as a “cancer” that has crippled the cotton sector, eroding trust, weakening contracts, and undermining the livelihoods of farmers and companies.
“The loss of 6.7 million kilogrammes of cotton to side marketing is not a victimless act. It constitutes theft from contractors who have invested heavily in the crop, breaches contractual trust, and remains a core reason for the collapse of the sector. Side marketing endangers compliant companies and perpetuates poverty,” he said.
Haritatos stressed that AMA’s efforts have been hampered by significant enforcement gaps, which have allowed seed cotton to be purchased outside Common Buying Points (CBPs), leaving legitimate complaints unaddressed. “This ends today,” he declared. “We will plug that data black hole and end dysfunctional forecasting.”
One of the key reforms is a fully operational national grower registry, which will track contracted farmers, the distribution of inputs, and contract obligations. This registry aims to eliminate “double contracting” — where farmers sell to multiple buyers — and to ensure transparency in the sector.The problem of late validation
This year’s cotton industry validation exercise took place during the early days of harvesting. Haritatos criticised this as ineffective. “Conducting crop validation after harvest is not validation — it is an autopsy. A sample size between six and nine percent is statistically inadequate. We must adopt scientific, timely forecasting that guides decision-making rather than merely documenting failure,” he said.
Government Moves to End Cotton Side Marketing with New Grower Registry and Stricter Regulation
The Government’s strategy is to improve productivity, eradicate side marketing, and close regulatory gaps that have long undermined the sector. “The era of passive regulation is over,” Haritatos told AMA officials. “You are not spectators; you are referees. You must blow the whistle, penalise foul play, and enforce the rules impartially. Success will be measured by restored order in cotton markets, not by the number of reports produced.”
Chief Executive Officer of Cottco, Rockie Mutenha, backed the Government’s decision, revealing that the company lost over six million kilogrammes of cotton to side marketing in 2024 alone.
“This undermines trust, leads to massive losses, poverty, and hunger. Side marketing threatens the survival of companies providing inputs to farmers, undermines contract integrity, and impedes growth in the cotton sector, affecting national output,” Mutenha said.
He agreed with Haritatos that cotton continues to be purchased outside CBPs and that complaints from progressive companies have often been ignored. “The authority’s enforcement role has gaps. Many contractors failed to provide adequate inputs and support, leading to poor yields and reduced production. There is no established national grower registry to track input distribution and contract obligations, allowing abuse through double contracting,” he explained.
Mutenha suggested that cotton land validation should be done by January, while crop forecasting should take place between March and April. This would allow for timely interventions to boost production and strengthen compliance.
He also stressed that contracts must include mandatory input provision and agronomic support to empower farmers and ensure fair returns.
“One powerful solution to side marketing is zoning — assigning exclusive geographic areas to each contractor. This would prevent overlapping contracts and poaching, making it easier for AMA to monitor compliance, enforce rules, and restore order and discipline in the sector,” Mutenha said.
The establishment of a centralised grower registry and stricter regulations is seen as a pivotal step toward revitalising Zimbabwe’s cotton industry. Farmers stand to gain clarity and protection, contractors can operate in a fair environment, and the sector can regain stability.
Haritatos concluded by urging all stakeholders to embrace the reforms, warning that continued complacency would allow side marketing to remain a cancer that destroys the industry. “Our goal is to restore order, improve yields, and protect farmers’ livelihoods. Cotton is an important pillar of our agricultural economy, and we cannot afford to let loopholes and malpractice destroy it,” he said.
As Zimbabwe moves to implement these reforms, the focus will now be on enforcement, monitoring, and stakeholder cooperation to ensure the changes deliver lasting transformation in the cotton sector.
Source- Herald
