3 000 hectares under wheat in Midlands

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ABOUT 3 000 hectares of land had been put under winter wheat in the Midlands province by Saturday with 1 500 hectares more expected to be planted before the end of the planting period.

The province was given a target of 4 500 hectares to be placed under wheat this year while the country is targeting 80 000 hectares, which is expected to yield 415 000 tonnes.

Midlands crop and livestock production provincial officer, Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi, said the winter wheat planting period was expected to end on May 30.

Mainly A2 and large scale commercial farmers are participating in winter wheat farming.

“Target for the province is 4 500 hectares and so far we have contracted about 3 000 hectares, which is about 70 percent. I’m glad to say that farmers are still planting since the fruitful planting window is closing on the 30th of May and may also allow for up to end of first week of June as late planting,” she said.

Mrs Magwenzi said farmers contracted by Command Agriculture financed by Agri-Yield under CBZ Bank had put about 2 400 hectares under winter wheat while about 600 hectares is under non-Command Agriculture contracts. She said more farmers were still registering adding that the province is hopeful of reaching the target.

Seed, basal and top dressing inputs have been fully delivered to respective depots, said Mrs Magwenzi.

“Many farmers are enthusiastic to grow the crop,” she said. However, Mrs Magwenzi said farmers were facing power and water supply challenges, which are likely to hinder prospects of a successful season.

To improve hectarage for winter wheat, she said farmers need adequate water supply and electricity as well as tractors to prepare the land for planting.

“The only challenge is inadequate water in the dams and boreholes due to poor season quality,” she said.

“Diesel had been a challenge, hampering tillage but the programme has arranged sites with fuel tanks within the farmers and have since delivered diesel for tillage. Farmers are getting fuel within their farming areas, which reduces movements in line with Covid-19 pandemic regulations.”

Mrs Magwenzi said some challenges being faced by farmers include, poor irrigation infrastructure, high water tariffs, dam siltation, pumping equipment breakdown and other high costs of inputs.

“Farmers are appealing for rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure,” she said. Government has called on farmers to practise soil conservation to prevent dam siltation and encouraged farmers to crop in clusters for bargaining power on inputs purchase and Zesa load shedding exemption.

Zimbabwe has been relying on wheat imports after a slump in production in recent years.

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