Govt needs US$88,4m to fund wheat farming

This is an increase from the 26 000 hectares target last season.

Appearing before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Lands, Water, Irrigation and Resettlement recently, Minister Made said the private sector would complement Government efforts to meet the hectarage.

The hectarage is expected to yield 160 000 tonnes at an average yield of four tonnes per hectare. Minister Made gave an example of tobacco supported by the private sector.
Government, Minister Made said, was mulling to introduce a policy that would see private abbatoirs supporting livestock breeding and restocking.

“Delta Corporation has supported barley, maize and sorghum and this should happen to all users of agricultural produce. This year we have a new approach which will see millers being part and parcel of the programme, supporting wheat production,” he said.
Minister Made said they had engaged millers and bakers to partner Government in supporting wheat production.

On contract farming, Minister Made said Governnment would avoid the cotton situation wherefarmers have abandoned the crop for tobacco and soya.
He said there was a 30 percent decline in cotton production because of bad contract farming.
“Government will not interfere between bakers and farmers. The millers and bakers will select farmers to support on their own but they should fully fund farmers. We will not accept partial funding,” he said.

Minister Made said this season Government support will target key inputs such as seed, fertiliser and chemicals at a cost of US$30 million.
“We have made proposals to the Ministry of Finance but it has not responded. We have challenges since Government is concentrating on the referendum and elections,” he said.

Minister Made said the Government programme would target farmers with functional irrigation systems, adequate water for target area, proven track record in wheat production and availability of uncommitted land during the wheat planting window.

It is assumed that Treasury would timeously avail the support facility of the US$30 million through Agribank for farmers to access loans for inputs at a concessionary interest rate of 4,5 percent per annum.  Zesa Holdings is also expected to guarantee a constant supply of electricity to wheat growing areas during the winter season, a view Committee members concurred with. Minister Made said there was need for an agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development on the availability of power throughout the winter season.