Go Beer Farm targets 200ha wheat crop

Midlands Bureau Chief
Gweru City Council says 200 hectares would be put under winter wheat at its Go Beer Farm this year as part of efforts to widen revenue base.

The local authority has so far invested more than US$12 000 in farming equipment.

Go Beer farms are part of three business entities that were formed following the unbundling of Go Beer Breweries.

The strategic business units are Go Beer Farming (Pvt) Limited, Progress Properties (Pvt) Limited and Progress Manufacturing (Pvt) Ltd. Some of these business units are still to be operationalised.

The beer unit ceased operations in 2014 after it had become a financial burden as it was accumulating huge debts.

Go-Beer beerhalls are now being leased out while others have been converted to revenue halls and council is benefiting from rentals.

In an interview, council spokesperson Ms Vimbai Chingwaramuse said they wanted to take farming seriously as a way of improving cash flows.

“As Gweru City Council we have set a target of putting 200ha under winter wheat at our Go Beer Farm as we move to expand our revenue base,” she said.

Ms Chingwaramuse said council has already bought the required farming equipment and hoped to have completed planting the winter wheat by June 23.

“We are looking at putting more land under maize once we are done with winter wheat,” she said.

Ms Chingwaramuse said there were 17 permanent and 11 casual employees at the Go Beer Farms. The Midlands province’s target this year is to put 11 000ha under winter wheat and barley.