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Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter 

AGRICULTURAL experts are conducting a national crop assessment exercise to analyse the expected yield from the 2018/2019 farming season, with the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Chief Air Marshal (Retired) Perrance Shiri saying it was a bad season.

A prolonged dry spell has destroyed crops in most parts of the country.

“The crop assessment is ongoing as our experts are on the ground in different parts of the country to evaluate the expected yield from the 2018/2019 agricultural season. 

“I can only be able to give full details of the crop situation, after getting statistics from the assessment but it appears we’re in for a bad year,” said Chief Air Marshal Shiri.

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) yesterday said isolated and light showers were reported at Hwange, Karoi, Mvurwi and Mount Darwin due to remnant moisture and warned of a possible tropical cyclone Idai.

“In the meantime, Tropical Cyclone Idai, still active in the northern sector of the Mozambique channel, continues to dry out much of the atmosphere over Zimbabwe and at the same time draw cool southerly winds across the country.

“The MSD will continue to monitor the trajectory of Tropical Cyclone Idai and keep the public informed of any developments,” said the department.

Last week Matabeleland North Provincial Agritex Officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said most crops had succumbed to moisture stress while some would be written off if it didn’t rain in seven days.

Mr Nyoni urged farmers whose crops still have a chance to closely monitor their crops and watch out for domestic and wild animals, termites and birds.

He added that those who still had extra land to plant should try sweet potatoes and cow peas.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVac) lean season monitoring report for January 2019, food insecurity in rural and urban areas has significantly increased countrywide with Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces being the hardest hit.

The report revealed that food insecurity prevalence has increased in the country with rural households recording 51 percent up from 28 percent last year.

– @pamelashumba1