‘Embrace best wheat harvesting methods’

Tapiwanashe Mangwiro

Wheat farmers have been encouraged to embrace best practices that minimise post-harvest losses, amid revelations that 25 to 30 percent of wheat is lost during the harvesting stage.

According to Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos, about 25 to 30 percent of wheat is lost at the harvesting stage.

It is against this background that the Government is encouraging farmers to embrace best practices in harvesting, packaging, storage, and transportation of produce to avoid losses.

Wheat harvesting commenced across the country this month, with 65 percent of the harvest expected by the end of this month.

The Grain Marketing Board has designated 18 intake depots for collecting wheat, with harvesting of the crop having commenced.

“The public is informed that wheat harvesting has commenced with 65 percent of harvest expected by end of October. To control the reported cases of damage to wheat by Quelea birds the necessary chemical has now been received from Kenya and China,” said Haritatos.

The Deputy Minister made the clarion call during a field day at Gerald Museka’s Maynard Farm in Chegutu.

“Harnessing all the wheat produced in Chegutu district to the rest of the country is hinged upon proper post-harvesting management. Researchers have shown that about 25 to 30 percent of the of wheat is lost at harvesting stage both collectively and quantitatively to rodents, quelea birds, transportation, poor storage facilities amongst others,” said the Deputy Minister.

Host farmer, Museka spoke on agronomic practices he undertook.

“It is more to do with land preparation and planting on time and also the correct rate ,it’s about how many kilograms per hectare,” he said.

Local legislator, Webster Shamu, challenged farmers to take farming as a business and desist from over-relying on government support schemes.

“We need to build a good foundation for rapport with financial aid institutions.

“I don’t think we should be expecting the Government to intervene all the time, there must be a time I should be weaned out, we grow,” he said.

The Government is also encouraging wheat farmers to be on the lookout for unscrupulous middlemen as they sell their produce as well as to avoid side marketing especially contracted crop.

The Government is upbeat the country will meet its national wheat requirements for the first time in many years after surpassing its wheat hectarage target for this year.

After a record 80 000 hectares were put under wheat this season up from the 34 000 in 2019, the Government is confident of satisfying national requirements.

The ministry of agriculture as a way of trying to encourage deliveries announced lucrative producer prices.

Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said, “The wheat flour producer price is US$620 per tonne for ordinary wheat, which gives the farmer a 15 percent return on investment and the flour producer price is US$682 per tonne for premium grade wheat.”

Dr Masuka’s announcement came two weeks after it emerged that the country projects to harvest 380 000 tonnes of wheat in the ongoing harvest season, which would be the first time ever the country’s production of the cereal exceeds demand.