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Ashton Mutyavaviri
AS the country pushes for the attainment of wheat-based food security amid growing expectations for a bumper wheat harvest this season, AFC Holding has introduced a 10 percent discount for farmers hiring combine harvesters.
AFC Holdings group head-strategy, marketing and corporate communications Ms Caroline Mozhendi said the 10 percent discount was only given for early booking farmers to allow timely allocation of combine harvesters in wheat growing strongholds.
“Farmers can book with us now and sign a contract. Payments are negotiable. They can choose to pay in cash or kind using grain after harvesting,” said Ms Mozhendi.
The cost for hiring the harvesters is quoted using dry rates at US$90 per hectare (ha).
Meanwhile, the Government is considering introducing pest command centres at ward, district and provincial levels to protect the cereal from quelea birds.
Government has subsequently urged farmers to immediately report to their nearest extension officers or established command centres if they see flocks of quelea birds exceeding 1 000.
Migratory Pests and Biosecurity Control Department (MPBCD) director Mr Shingirayi Nyamutukwa said farmers would be assisted with contact details of the pest command centres to be timely assisted at ward, district and provincial level rather than wait for someone from the national centre.
“The establishment of ward pest command centres is meant to timely address farmers’ needs, as they will just report at the ward level instead of the national,” said Mr Nyamutukwa.
He revealed that Government had recruited 21 technicians to assist farmers on the ground on quelea birds monitoring.
Mr Nyamutukwa further stressed that Government’s idea was indeed positive considering that pests and diseases were the major causes of reduced crop productivity, hence controlling pests would assure the country of bumper harvests.
The record wheat crop planted this season is in a generally good condition, with a bumper harvest expected and the country will not only be wheat self-sufficient for the third consecutive year but will have a two thirds surplus that will allow for more wheat products to become part of the normal Zimbabwean diet.
At least 121 000 hectares of wheat have been planted this year and are expected to produce over 600 000 tonnes of the cereal, well above the 468 000 tonnes last year, the highest ever recorded since wheat growing started in 1966. The bulk of the early planted wheat is now at vegetative stage.
Meanwhile, the agriculture energy taskforce will be coordinating to ensure adequate electricity supplies with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) expected to ensure that farmers get enough water for irrigation.
Government has been targeting to increase wheat production to meet the national requirement in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, the Agriculture Recovery Growth Plan and the National Development Strategy 1 in line with the dream to attain an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society by 2030.
Online Reporter