adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
THE government says the crop situation across the country is encouraging and prospects of a bumper harvest are high. Agriculture Deputy Minister (Cropping) Cde Davison Marapira yesterday said the crop situation in most provinces was pleasing.“The crop situation across the country is satisfactory with most farmers having their crops past tasselling stage,” he told Chronicle. “Government is impressed because if our people have adequate food we will concentrate on other things other than food security.”
Cde Marapira urged farmers to start planting beans as the crop thrives under present climatic conditions.
“I urge the farmers to start planting sugar beans and cow peas. These crops thrive at this time of the year and under the present climate. The whole country is blessed because the rains are still falling,” he said.
Cde Marapira warned farmers to be on the lookout for unscrupulous millers who would seek to exploit them under the guise of offering lucrative deals and urged them to deal with Grain Market Board (GMB).
“We urge farmers to be wary of unscrupulous millers and other businesspeople who may take advantage of a good harvest. These people may dupe farmers through offering them tempting prices for their crop especially maize,” he said.
Cde Marapira said farmers should work closely with government and support GMB, which has fixed prices. He said government had since made funds available to GMB to pay farmers who delivered their grain last season.
“Things are back to normal and as far as I am concerned we are paying farmers with outstanding money. We do not want every Tom and Dick to buy from our farmers.
“We want registered millers and GMB only. This will protect our farmers from being cheated,” said Cde Marapira.
Sidumisile Mabena