Cottco targets higher ginning capacity

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COTTCO Zimbabwe (Cottco) is aiming for enhanced capacity utilisation of its delinter facility at Kadoma Ginnery by the end of next year, in keeping with the government’s strategy to turn around the fortunes of the underperforming out-grower enterprise.
The 15 000 tonnes capacity plant, which separates cotton seed from lint, is currently running at 70 percent capacity utilisation.
The delinter plant, which was recommissioned last year, had been down for five years owing to low operational viabilities and challenges.
This forced the government to outsource cotton seed from private companies to support over 400 000 farmers on Cottco books.

As the cotton sector import bill continued to soar, the government finally intervened and expended at least US$800 000 for re-commissioning of the Kadoma delinter plant last year and increased shareholding in the company to 51 percent.