Even though there has been a considerable decline in the number of growers, The Cotton Board of Zambia has announced an increase in output to be harvested during the 2024–2025 farming season.
As estimated by Derek Sichilima, Director of Technical Regulation, fabrication is projected to undergo dramatic shifts as blueprints suggest cultivating around 30,000 metric tonnes of cotton in comparison to just 11,000 metric tonnes during the 2023–2024 season.
The reasoning behind this predicted escalation was explained by Mr. Sichilima when he was speaking with ZNBC News: it stems predominantly from receiving ample rainfall alongside proper input delivery.
Alongside these expectations, he made it clear that a drop in farmer participants to 80 thousand from the previously recorded figure of 100 thousand greatly impacts agriculture. Additionally common pest infestations referred to as “cotton strainers” are having negative impacts on numerous cotton fields.
In light of these challenges, Mr. Sichilima is concerned about efficient pest management and thus directed agro-dealers stocked with pesticides to enable effective mitigation and safeguard the anticipated.
