For generations, Zimbabwe’s cotton industry measured success by the fluffy white fibre that left farms and ginneries. Today, the overlooked brown seed inside every boll is driving a quiet economic transformation in Gokwe, where cottonseed is increasingly processed into cooking oil, animal feed, and other products—turning a former waste stream into a foundation for rural industry.
From Byproduct to Valuable Commodity
At the Cangrow Cotton Company (CCC) processing plant in Nembudziya, about 72 kilometres from Gokwe’s business centre, cottonseed is fed into crushers and refiners that yield golden cooking oil. The remaining seed cake is turned into livestock feed, leaving almost nothing to waste. Regional manager Khumbulani Moyo said the shift from selling raw ginned seed to domestic beneficiation is reshaping the local economy.
“Cottonseed is no longer a waste product. It has become an important raw material for cooking oil production, proving that every part of the cotton crop has value,” Moyo said. “Through beneficiation, we are ensuring that what was once overlooked now contributes to the country’s food industry and the broader economy.”
Historically, Zimbabwe earned most cotton income from lint, while ginned seed was sold as a raw commodity, often for low prices. Processors like CCC are now capturing more value after ginning, producing cooking oil for domestic consumption and by-products that support agriculture and manufacturing.
Farmers Call for a Fairer Share
Small-scale cotton farmers in Gokwe South welcome the new processing capacity but argue that the economic benefits remain skewed. Tina Murabunda, a local grower, said value addition should translate into better returns for producers.
“If cotton seed is processed into cooking oil and other products, it gives us another source of income and encourages more people to continue growing cotton,” Murabunda said.
However, farmer Marry Chisvo expressed frustration that growers are only paid for raw seed cotton and do not share in the profits from downstream products. “The biggest share of the value comes after the cotton leaves our hands, yet we are only paid a relatively small amount for the crop itself. Right now, this value addition is benefiting the processors more than the farmers,” she said.
Chisvo also noted the distance farmers must travel to deliver cotton to distant ginneries and processors, calling for more local processing facilities to reduce transport costs and increase community benefits.
Government and Private Sector Investment
The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) and the government are investing over US$1.5 million in a Gokwe oil-expression plant capable of processing 60 metric tonnes of cottonseed per day. The facility will produce cooking oil commercially, with residue turned into livestock feed and other industrial products. Gokwe was chosen because it handles the largest volume of seed cotton in the country and has a workforce ready to support the operation.
Ward 19 Councillor Enock Chevedza, a veteran farmer, said processing at scale would help growers capture more value. “Value addition and beneficiation would help farmers realise the true value of their crop through products such as cooking oil, seed, soap, fertilisers, animal feed and even materials used in furniture manufacturing,” he said.
Alderman Ernest Chigaba, national vice-chairperson of the Cotton Producers and Marketers Association of Zimbabwe, stressed that keeping processing activities in Gokwe would create jobs and support local businesses. He recalled that ginning once employed over 500 seasonal workers but now fewer than 100, partly because processing moved away. “We need oil-expressing machines here in Gokwe so that we can process the seed locally, create employment and reduce transport costs,” Chigaba said.
Production Rebound Signals Opportunity
By mid-June 2026, farmers had marketed over 5.08 million kilograms of seed cotton, compared to just 310,625 kilograms during the same period in 2025. The Agricultural Marketing Authority projects total production of 38,500 tonnes this season, a 33% increase from about 29,000 tonnes last year. While still far below the historic peak of 351,000 tonnes in 2010/11, the rebound will supply tens of thousands of tonnes of cottonseed for processing.
Cottco’s placement under corporate rescue in April 2026 raised questions about the future of its investments, but Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Obert Jiri said value addition remains a government priority. “We have the investment in Gokwe which we did with Cottco for the oil expressors plant because we understand the potential for cottonseed oil,” Jiri said.
The challenge now is ensuring that the wealth generated by cottonseed processing reaches the farmers who grow the crop. If successful, Zimbabwe’s “white gold” could be valued not only for its fibre but also for the seed that allows more wealth to remain where it first took root.
