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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
With a new record about to be set during the wheat harvest, Government is moving ahead on several fronts to ensure smooth operations by implementing several measures, including the use of drones to control quelea birds and promotion of partnerships in the growing of crops.
This season, the Government is well prepared to support wheat compared to the previous seasons as it is working closely with important stakeholders such as ZESA and ZINWA to ensure there is uninterrupted power supply as well as enough water for irrigation to maintain wheat self-sufficiency.
Wheat condition is good throughout all provinces and the bulk of the crop is at booting and soft dough stages.
This means the wheat is now maturing and drying for harvest.
The cumulative planted area this season is 90 192ha which is slightly above the target area of 90 000ha.
About 57 percent of the crop is coming from A2, 13 percent from A1 and 11 percent from large scale and is in good condition. Field days are under way across the provinces. Agricultural expects are urging farmers to provide good agronomic practices to enhance crop yields and quality as well as adequate irrigation to enhance productivity.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera recently indicated that good agronomic practices are the only ways to unlock the massive potential so that the country can achieve five tonnes per hectare.
“Good agronomic practices are the only ways to increase productivity so we are now coming back as the breadbasket of Southern Africa. My team is rolling out seminars on good agronomic practices to enhance crop performance as well as irrigation to enhance productivity. This initiative is underway,’’ he said.
According to the recent update by the Ministry there is timely response to quelea assessments and control is underway
“This will ensure attainment of the second wheat target of the 420 000 tonnes yield. Preparation for harvesting is underway with mechanisation taking the lead, working with wheat clusters,’’ said the ministry.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe urged farmers to secure pesticides and work on fireguards to protect the crop from veld fires. While fire losses have been very small in the past, and insignificant for the nation although damaging for the hit farmers, with more land planted to wheat a fire can spread more widely.
“Farmers should not take things for granted. We do not want to lose our wheat. Reporting of quelea birds is also crucial hence l urge farmers to work hand in glove with authorities so that we maximise our production. Last season we lost wheat in veld fires. This should not happen again,’’ he said.
This season Mashonaland Central has planted 16 067ha out of a target of 18 200 ha, an increase of 88 percent from 12 991 planted last season. Mashonaland West has planted 27 132ha an increase from 26 970ha planted last season.
Mashonaland East has planted 16 970ha exceeding its target of 14 000ha and a increase from 11 727ha planted last season. Manicaland has planted 11 054ha exceeding its target of 10 000 ha and higher than 10 114ha planted last season.
A total of 18 quelea bird reports have been received this week.
Manicaland province received 15, Mashonaland Central received two and Midlands received one.
Four sites have been controlled from the 15 reported sites.
The controlled sites are Kariba Dam, Nyagambu in Mutasa, Nyambuya and Everton in Mutare.
Two sites in Mashonaland Central, the Glendale area, was controlled using drones spraying the nests.
About 400 litres of fenthion 640 ulv each have been dispatched to Manicaland, 400litres fenthion 640 ulv have been dispatched to Mashonaland West.
The ministry also received 150 quelea outbreak reports for July 2023 compared to 90 in 2022 in the same period.
For August 2022 more reports were received compared to this year. In terms of hotspots Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West have the most reports in total.
Online Reporter
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