150 hectares of maize crop at Ingwizi Estate affected by power

Roberta Katunga, Senior Farming Reporter
A QUARTER of the 600 hectare maize crop under irrigation at Arda’s Ingwizi Estate in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South has been under moisture stress after irrigation was affected by a power fault which has not been rectified for more than a month.

Estate Manager Mr Samuel Nyajeka said the initial estimated tonnage expected at Ingwizi had gone down as the crop was affected by a number of factors including the 150 hectares which could not be irrigated properly as there was no electricity for more than a month due to a fault that has not yet been attended to.

“In the November to December period last year temperatures were too high and there was a heat wave which is not conducive for the maize crop thus normal growth was affected. Besides the heat wave, part of the area planted was affected by lack of electricity which was down even when Vice-President Mnangagwa toured the estate recently and up until now we still do not have any power,” said Mr Nyajeka.

He said the farm has a centre pivot covering 160 hectares that is connected to Zesa while generators are being utilised for the rest of the farm as Zesa is still yet to install meters.

Mr Nyajeka said they were now expecting to harvest about four to five tonnes per hectare while another Arda estate in Maphisa expects a yield of 4 000 tonnes for the 520 hectares planted.

He said the rains that have been received in the country lately had helped improve the ailing crop with about 155 hectares now ready for harvesting.

“Part of the crop has dried up and is ready for harvesting. We are expecting combine harvesters to be delivered anytime to the farm. The remainder of the crop is now at the soft to hard dough stage. Since last week we have received about 136 mm of rainfall,” said Mr Nyajeka.

Mr Nyajeka said part of the yield would be delivered to the Grain Marketing Board and the local community would also benefit.

He said in the long term they expected to construct silos at the estate. Ingwizi Estate, owned by Arda is being run through a public private partnership which saw Petroleum giants Trek investing millions into the revival of the estates in Mangwe and Maphisa. In Maphisa, three silos are being constructed for maize storage.

Speaking on preparations for the winter wheat crop, Mr Nyajeka said harvesting of the maize crop will be done simultaneously with land preparation for wheat. He said 600 hectares of wheat will be planted again this year.