By JAMES KUNDA –

THE Cotton Board of Zambia (CBZ) has warned three ginning companies in the country against purchasing cotton from farmers which they did not pre-finance.
CBZ board secretary Dafulin Kaonga said the action of the ginners was in violation of the code of conduct signed by all ginners prior to the 2014/2015 cotton marketing season.
This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by Zambia Cotton Ginners Association (ZCGA) executive secretary Bourne Chooka.
“The three ginners are in violation of the Cotton Act which says that no ginner should buy cotton that he/she did not finance and that the board would take a stiffer action against them if they continued with the malpractice,” Mr Kaonga said.
Meanwhile, Mr Chooka said his association was in full support of the action by CBZ.
“We wish to commend the Cotton Board of Zambia for its tireless efforts to protect the investments of the ginning companies in the country.
“Ginners spend on an annual basis amounts in excess of US$15 million in input provision to cotton farmers and these monies are only recovered through deliveries of cotton to them at marketing,” he said.
Mr Chooka thanked all the farmers that have not sold their crop to wrong companies and advised those that were still picking to ensure that they sold to companies that financed them.
He urged the farmers to quickly harvest their crop and sell to their respective ginners.
Mr Chooka also commended Government for having provided and facilitated a private sector-led cotton marketing system.
“The season this far, has been peaceful and the relationship with the public sector has been very well,” he said.