Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
ONE of the country’s biggest agricultural enterprises, Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda)-Antelope Estate in Matobo District continues to record resounding success in their horticultural production.
The Estate introduced horticultural production last year as part of its efforts to ensure quick returns and sustainability of its farming operations.
In an interview, ARDA chief executive officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko said the scheme’s introduction of horticultural production has shown great results.
“In terms of potatoes, Arda-Antelope Estate is currently planting 22 hectares every month and reaping over 30 tonnes every day with an average yield of 60 tonnes per hectare.
“Horticultural production is solely meant to augment their cash flows as you are aware the major crops, they have been growing over the years take up to six months for them to generate income,” said Mr Mhiko.
He said they had since managed to bridge their expenditure because in horticulture they had short season crops where in between seasons they were now able to buy spares and other consumables with the major crops being destined for the market.
Mr Mhiko said for wheat production they planted 1 150 hectares which they are expecting a yield of 8 000 tonnes.
He said for the summer maize crop they will be planting 1 250 hectares after having harvested 3 200 tonnes of maize to date for (2020/21) season.
“We are clearing 168 hectares of land in an effort to ensure we fully utilise our land and these 168 hectares will be planted this coming summer season,” he said.
Mr Mhiko said they had also introduced a community out-grower scheme as part of their rural development initiative.
He said for the out-grower scheme they had 150 hectares of flood irrigation and in the 2020/21 season they planted 70 hectares of maize and harvested 280 tonnes.
“The remaining land was used for horticulture and we put butternuts, cabbages and tomatoes, among other produce.
“We are then supporting the community out-grower scheme farmers with training and technical support to ensure they adopt the best management practices.
“We got inputs for the rural irrigation scheme from both Presidential and Command Agriculture Schemes,” he added.
Arda-Antelope Estate and the rural community irrigation scheme are being managed by the Rural Development and Industrialisation Unit.
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