admin
Agriculture Reporter
Farmers are replanting in some areas in the wake of the rains that have fallen but are being distracted by pests that are attacking crops doing well in other areas.Zimbabwe Farmers Union vice president Mr Berean Mukwende said the union had received reports from farmers in different areas complaining of leaf eating pests.
“Farmers in most areas are spraying their crops against leaf eaters and hopefully there will not be an army worm outbreak,” he said.
The condition of livestock in most areas is reported to be improving as grazings become more available due to rains that continue to fall.
But livestock supplementary feeding programmes are still continuing in most areas, especially in Matabeleland, Masvingo and the Midlands.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union vice president Mr Johnson Mapira said farmers were still planting in most parts of Mashonaland Central, while others who had planted early had started replanting.
Mr Mapira said it was worrying that the first quarter of the rainy season had passed with few farmers still planting. Maize farmers experienced challenges accessing funding from banks as only four percent was channelled towards maize production.
Agriculture experts have called on Government to invest in irrigation so that farmers could supplement their crops during dry periods.
About 1,65 million hectares have been targeted for maize production this season.
Fears abound that farmers may fail to meet the targeted maize production of 1,3 million tonnes due to late plantings and poor germination.
Online Reporter