Zimbabwe Builds New Rural Economy Through Cottonseed Processing

Cottonseed is no longer a discarded by-product in Zimbabwe’s Gokwe region; it is now the primary raw material for a growing industrial hub producing cooking oil, livestock feed, and soap. This shift toward beneficiation is designed to diversify income for local producers and retain crop value within rural communities.

Industrializing the Nembudziya Plant

The Cangrow Cotton Company (CCC), a registered seed-cotton buyer and contractor, is leading the charge from its processing facility in Nembudziya. Located roughly 72km from the Gokwe business centre, the plant employs a system of conveyors, crushers, and steel presses. These tools extract golden cooking oil from the seeds that remain after the fluffy white lint has been stripped away.

For decades, the Zimbabwean cotton industry focused almost exclusively on lint for income, selling ginned seed as a raw commodity. The current model flips that script, capturing value after the ginning process to create multiple industrial streams from every single tonne of seed.

Maximizing the Value of the Seed

The facility does not stop at edible oil. Remaining materials are processed into cotton cake for livestock feed and other by-products tailored for the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Khumbulani Moyo, a regional manager for CCC, says the goal is to ensure very little goes to waste.

“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,” said CCC regional manager Khumbulani Moyo. “Through beneficiation, we are ensuring that what was once overlooked now contributes to the country’s food industry and the broader economy.”

From Ox-Carts to Foreign Currency

The supply chain starts in the fields. Small-scale farmers deliver freshly picked seed cotton to buying points across Gokwe using tractors and ox-drawn carts. For some, the industrialization of the crop is a powerful motivator. Tina Murabinda, a farmer in Gokwe South, notes that this value addition allows farmers to earn more foreign currency, providing a concrete incentive to keep growing cotton.

The Gap Between Processing and Payment

Despite the industrial growth, a financial disconnect persists. Some producers argue that the wealth generated by these by-products rarely trickles back to the people planting the seeds. Marry Chisvo, a small-scale farmer in Gokwe South, points out that while the seed eventually transforms into soap and oil, the farmers’ compensation ends at the point of delivery.

“We are only paid for the crop we deliver. After that, the seed is processed into cooking oil, stock feed, soap and other products, but farmers do not receive anything from those by-products,” Marry said.

The result is a stark economic imbalance. While processing is expanding the rural economy, the largest share of the financial gain occurs only after the cotton has left the hands of the growers.