Zimbabwe misses wheat target

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU

Zimbabwe has failed to meet its wheat production target of 600 000  metric tonnes due to  challenges such as water shortages and crippling power cuts, Business Times can report.

According to official figures from Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Ministry, reveals that  wheat harvest reached an all-time record high this year at  more than 560 000 tonnes by last week from  467 905 tonnes realised last year.

Despite this, the harvest still falls short of the set target.

However, the wheat demand  demand stands at 360 000 tonnes.

 Lands permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri  confirmed that  wheat harvesting has officially concluded.

“The actual harvesting is now complete. Following the collection of data countrywide to ascertain how farmers performed this season, wait for the announcement by the minister (Dr Anxious Masuka) during the Cabinet briefing.

All the actual figures will be made available to everyone. But, generally, the season was not bad [as farmers harvest over 560 000 tonnes,” Prof Jiri said.

According to the government figures, the country might have slightly missed the set target of 600 000 tonnes this year but the country has surpassed the winter wheat output record for the second successive season.

The country is on course to reclaiming its breadbasket status in the region following high wheat output.

If anything is to go by, readily available flour — a major ingredient in many staple foods such as bread, pasta and pastries — is expected to guarantee the stability of prices on the local market.

From 1969 to 1999, Zimbabwe averaged 250 000 tonnes, with a high of 325 000 tonnes in 1990.

Last year, Zimbabwe became one of the two African countries to be wheat self-sufficient, alongside Ethiopia.

Agriculturalist and  former Zimbabwe National Farmers Union (ZNFU) executive Edward Dune told Business Times that, “Now that our farmers have

mastered winter wheat farming and received much needed support from the government and private sector, these targets can be easily be reached.

Agricultural mechanisation equipment that was deployed countrywide, he said, has been critical throughout the season,” Dune said.

Government deployed 14 000 tractors and at least 300 combine harvesters  for the winter season.

The machinery was deployed in 22 mechanisation hubs accessible to farmers.