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Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement has started conducting crop assessment in the country for the 2017/18 summer cropping season.
The country has endured a prolonged dry spell since November last year resulting in most crops becoming a write off. In an interview, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister, Davis Marapira said the Government was in the process of conducting crop assessment to ascertain the state of the crop following the dry spell that the country endured before the February rains.
Deputy Minister Marapira, however, said the country could salvage better yields from the rains received in February.
“We are conducting a crop assessment to see the state of the crop in the country. We know that the dry spell affected most of the crops but the rains that the country is receiving could help the crop particularly that which is at the vegetation stage and farmers could salvage good harvests. Most crops that are on vegetation can survive and if farmers apply their top dressing fertiliser we could get a better yield,” he said.
Deputy Minister Marapira said farmers should be wary of fall armyworm which is ravaging crop in the country.
“This is the time when fall armyworm breeds the most. We are urging our farmers to scout for the worm because it breeds the most under wet conditions. We are hopeful that we will get better harvests from crops under irrigation. Even if farmers start planting now especially sugar beans we will have a better yield,” he said.
Minister Marapira said the country had adequate grain in its strategic grain reserves.
Online Reporter