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Nqobile Bhebhe, Online Reporter

ZIMBABWE is targeting to put 85 000 hectares under wheat production this winter, up from 80 000 ha in the corresponding period last year.

Posting on his official Twitter handle on Friday, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said: “Every square inch of irrigable land should be put under wheat production this 2023 winter season”.

In 2022, area planted to wheat jumped 22 percent from 66 434ha in 2021 to 80 883ha.

Wheat production output increased by 25 percent from over 300 000 metric tonnes in 2021 to 375 000 metric tonnes in 2022, against a national annual requirement of 360 000 metric tonnes, leaving a surplus of over 15 000mt.

The production figure for the 2022 winter season is the highest ever achieved since 1962 when wheat was first grown in Zimbabwe.

Recently, the Cabinet noted that Zimbabwe along-side Ethiopia are the only African countries that are wheat self-sufficient.