Zimbabwe's Cotton Industry Shifts Focus to Processing Cottonseed

The cotton industry in Zimbabwe is undergoing a transformation as companies like Cangrow Cotton Company (CCC) are processing cottonseed into cooking oil, animal feed, and other by-products.

CCC's regional manager Khumbulani Moyo said that cottonseed is no longer considered a waste product but an important raw material for cooking oil production.

The company's processing plant in Nembudziya is capable of producing 60 metric tonnes of cooking oil per day, which is then sold commercially along with the residue being processed into livestock feed and other industrial products.

However, some farmers are concerned that they do not receive a fair share of the benefits from the value addition process, with CCC's regional manager admitting that processors benefit more than farmers at present.