Growers double winter wheat hectarage

RYAN CHIGOCHE

Total area put under the winter wheat crop  has more than doubled  to 47  519 hectares (ha)  compared to the area planted in the prior comparative period, a Cabinet minister has said.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said the planting deadline has been extended to June 15, 2021 from June 10, 2021.

 “….As at 5 June 2021, a total of 47 519 hectares had been planted to wheat, more than double the area planted at the same time last year,” Mutsvangwa said at a post Cabinet briefing on Tuesday.

  She added: “The planting deadline has been extended to 15 June 2021 from 10 June and the seeding rate increased from 125 to 150kg/ha.”

It is estimated that with this extension, 70 000 to 75 000 hectares of wheat will be planted, translating to an estimated total production of 315 000 to 337 500 metric tonnes.”

Government is targeting a total of 92 000 ha for barley and wheat planting. Of these, 85 000 ha are set aside for wheat while 7000 ha for barley.

The production of wheat and barley is being supported from three fronts. About 60 000ha is being produced through a Government guaranteed CBZ Agro Yield programme, 15 000ha by private contractors, and 10 000ha through the Presidential Winter Wheat Scheme.

Mutsvangwa said the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Resettlement was intensifying training of farmers on important agronomic practices to boost yields.

“It is advised that 9796 hectares have been identified under the Presidential Wheat scheme as at 3 June 2021 while a total of 65 623 hectares and 1361 farmers have been contracted under the Command CBZ Agro Yield programme,”  Mutsvangwa said.

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