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The Meteorological Services Department has predicted that this year’s winter season is set to be the coldest with temperatures in some areas such as Matopos, Gweru, Marondera and Nyanga expected to drop drastically.
“In some areas planting of the potatoes during this season has started. And in certain areas that are likely to be affected by frost, we urge farmers to put on hold the planting of potatoes until August to avoid losses due to frost,” said ZCFU president Mr Donald Khumalo in a telephone interview yesterday.
He said potatoes are mainly grown in Marondera, Nyanga and some parts of Mashonaland West province such as Kadoma and Chegutu.
He said the farmers were looking forward to improving their production this year adding that ZCFU was also working on reviving potato growing projects in Esigodini and Nyamandlovu.
“The viability of potato projects in these areas was recently threatened by the continued stiff competition created by cheap imported potatoes on the local market,” he said.
Last year, the farmers’ union spent $4.7 million on potato farming on 1 000 hectares throughout the country.
“Everything being equal with seed producers being able to produce enough seed, we are targeting to continue upping our production levels.”
Mr Khumalo said cheap imported products continued to pour into the country following the recent signing of a number of protocols in Sadc by Government resulting in the region becoming a free trade zone.
In 2010, the Government launched a nationwide blitz on vendors selling imported potatoes from South Africa as the produce was smuggled into the country.
The blitz was meant to protect the local growers.
Online Reporter