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Deputy Minister Davis Marapira

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Government has reviewed downwards this year’s winter wheat yield by 38,5 percent to 123 000 tonnes due to late planting by the farmers across the country.

In an interview last week, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for crop production Davis Marapira said before the planting season, stakeholders in the wheat sector targeted 200 000 tonnes.

“We have reviewed downwards this year’s winter wheat yields to 123 000 tonnes from an initial target of 200 000 tonnes due to late planting by the farmers. We had also targeted 67 000 hectares to be under winter wheat and the hectarage has been reduced to 34 000 ha with an expected average yield of 3,61 tonnes per ha,” he said.

Deputy Minister Marapira said most farmers missed the wheat planting deadline because of dilapidated irrigation infrastructure.

“In Zimbabwe, winter wheat must be planted from April 15 to early May but because of the challenges the farmers faced, we noticed that most of the farmers last week (a fortnight ago) were still planting their crop,” he said.

Over the years, the land under winter wheat has declined to as low as 20 000ha with yields averaging 1,5 tonnes per ha.

Zimbabwe requires 460 000 tonnes of wheat annually and due to subdued output, the country has been forced to spend millions of dollars yearly on imports to cover the deficit.

In April, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga launched Command Wheat Programme with the Government setting a target of 50 000ha under winter wheat this year while a further 17 000 ha were expected to be funded by other contractors.

Deputy Minister Marapira said through the Command Wheat programme 23 000ha was under winter wheat this year while 11 000ha were utilised by the private players.

Through the Command Agriculture initiative, the Government provides the farmers with fuel, seed, fertilisers and chemicals as well as repairing and maintenance of machinery.

Deputy Minister Marapira said the Government has this year mobilised resources to import agricultural implements like driers, combine harvesters and tractors from countries such as Germany and the United States of America to promote farming activities.

“One of the greatest challenges facing the Grain Marketing Board at the moment is the shortage of driers required to dry the grain that would have been delivered by the farmers at its depots.

“The farmers’ efforts have also been constrained by dilapidated irrigation infrastructure and the shortage of combine harvesters,” said Deputy Minister Marapira.

@okazunga