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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]

OVER 500 hectares of the winter wheat crop has been harvested in the past five days in the Midlands province amid indications that some farmers are getting an average of seven tonnes per hectare.

Wheat is mostly grown under irrigation during the winter season, which runs from May to July in Zimbabwe, before the crop is harvested from October to December.

During the rainy season from October to March, farmers plant other crops such as soya beans and corn.

In the Midlands province farmers successfully put over 10 000ha under winter wheat, about 1 000ha more above the 9 000ha target that had been set for this season.

Having set a winter target of 6 450ha, the province last year achieved a record 7 378ha, harvesting about 36 000 tonnes of wheat.

Winter wheat is mainly grown in the Sherwood block and in farms around the Kwekwe district. There are also some irrigation schemes in Mberengwa, Lower Gweru and Shurugwi, which contribute to the provincial target.

Leading farmers such as Mr Douglas Kwande of the fast-growing Douglas and Claris Kwande (DCK) Investments, which own DCK Farm in Kwekwe are some of the farmers that have started harvesting the early crop that has matured. DCK farm has 750ha under wheat and has already harvested 250ha.

At Sherwood Park Estate in Kwekwe, Mr Daniel Burger has a flourishing crop of 280ha and is expecting to harvest an average nine tonnes per hectare. Last year the farm averaged 8,5 tonnes per hectare.

At Precabe Farm owned by the First Family, there is also over 600ha under winter wheat. Midlands Provincial Agronomist, Mr Innocent Dzuke, confirmed that winter wheat crop harvesting had started in earnest in the province.

“Yes, winter wheat harvesting has started and about 500ha have been harvested to date against 10 034ha planted,” he said. 

“We are optimistic of recording a bumper harvest as many farmers planted on time. Water was available and so was electricity for farmers to run their irrigation equipment.”

DCK manager Mr Duncan Magaya confirmed that harvesting has commenced.

“The first crop matured after reaching 130 days. As of today (yesterday) we had harvested 250ha and we are getting an average of seven tonnes per hectare. We are left with 500ha to go and as a farm we are optimistic of a bumper harvest,” he said.

Sherwood Park Estate manager Mr Simbiso Magasa said they were expecting to harvest an average nine tonnes per hectare.

“Last year we achieved 8.5 tonnes per hectare and we are optimistic of getting more this season,” he said.

Mr Ronnie Chigombe, sales agronomist at Seedco said farmers are very happy with the yields they are getting.

“Farmers we have been to are getting an average of 6.9 tonnes per hectare and these are the benefits of planting the right seed and early coupled with good agronomic practices,” he said.

Mr Chigombe said before harvesting farmers should make sure the moisture content is correct adding that those farmers with their own moisture meters should make sure they are well calibrated and those without can send samples to GMB for testing.

“Please note the acceptable moisture content is 12.5 percent. Once the moisture content is ok farmers should start harvesting their crop to avoid yield losses through harvesting the crop when the grain is too dry or the moisture content is too low and if the crop gets rained grain quality will be compromised,” he said. 

“Combine harvesters should be well serviced and cleaned before use, especially the hired ones.”

Farmers, Mr Chigombe said, should avoid field losses by making sure the combine harvester settings are correct.

He said after harvesting the wheat, stovers can be baled for feeding cattle and some sell the bales and improve farm cash flows.

“Farmers are encouraged to start land preparation after finishing harvesting for the summer season, which is fast approaching. Winter farmers in Midlands province are busy harvesting both wheat and barley crops,” said Mr Chigombe.

The country is expecting a record-breaking wheat harvest of over 420 000 tonnes from last year’s 375 000 after it registered a 11 percent rise in area planted from 80 885 hectares to 90 192.

Last year’s production made Zimbabwe and Ethiopia the only two wheat secure nations on the continent. Farmers are already responding to the Government’s initiatives as they have ramped up preparations for the farming season.

The bulk of the planting was done under the Government guaranteed CBZ Agro-Yield programme, while the other hectares were funded by private contractors and through the Presidential Winter  Wheat Scheme.