TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
Distribution of winter wheat inputs has begun as the government targets to put 85,000 hectares under the crop.
Apart from the Presidential input scheme, CBZ and AFC also run similar programmes.
The latest development comes at the back of another successful wheat production season.
In an interview, chief director at the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services Directorate Department, Obert Jiri said they were on course in terms of winter cropping preparations.
“The Presidential programme and inputs distribution has started across all provinces which are producing wheat. The largest obviously is Mashonaland West province where we are targeting the biggest hectarage,” Jiri said.
He said CBZ Agro Yield and AFC have also started distributing their inputs to the farmers who have satisfied the requirements of the banks.
He said of the targeted hectarage, 20,000 was from the Presidential input support scheme.
“We also have a programme which is run by CBZ Agro-yield and AFC Land Bank targeting a combined 35 000 hectares. We also have private players who are targeting 25 hectares and then we have the self-contracted farmers who are targeting 5 000 hectares,” Jiri said.
Jiri said power utility Zesa has ring-fenced 120MW to wheat farmers. This has seen farmers accessing and getting power continuously to enable them to prepare lent and also to plant, he said.
The crop is grown under irrigation so farmers need irrigation water and a constant electricity supply.
Wheat is the second most important cereal crop after maize. The annual wheat consumption for Zimbabwe is above 400 00mt yet wheat imports of around 80 percent are made each year.
Giving her remarks at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair 2023, the minister of Industry and Commerce Sekai Nzenza said Zimbabwe is expected to record the highest ever wheat production this year.
“And we shall continue to focus on agro-processing using the latest technology so that there is enough food in the country and that we will increase the amount of locally produced goods that are currently at 80%. We envisage to go beyond that number,” Nzenza said.
