Farmers warned against shoddy deals

operations, Mr Maxwell Chikanda said farmers needed to look at the crop outlook before planting.
AMA said that most farmers produced crops that did not have a ready market and ended up selling their commodities at giveaway prices for quick cash.
“Farmers should first assess the market value and price of the crop before planting to reduce losses. If the farmer is aware of the market and price trends, he is able to decide on the proportion to produce whether it will be commercial or subsistence depending on  the available resources,” he said.
He said the capacity of the farmer would also determine the proportion of production.
“The availability of farm implements is also important. A farmer should produce on a piece of land that he or she can fully manage in terms of resources and this includes farm machinery and labour,” he said.
Tobacco production has been on the increase but Mr Chikanda said it was not advisable to grow the crop on a large scale when one does not have adequate processing infrastructure like curing barns.
Mr Chikanda said farmers should use good husbandry practices like the correct plant population, good fertiliser application and lime application.
AMA noted that many stakeholders in the agricultural industry were taking advantage of the farmer’s lack of marketing knowledge.
This has resulted in farmers getting inadequate inputs from contractors, risking having their property confiscated and buyers dictating prices while eroding the farmers’ profits.
The farmers challenged Agritex to provide up-to-date information on developments in the agricultural sector.