Interest in soya bean grows

 

Taskforce co-ordinator Professor Isheunesu Mupepereki said there was growing interest to grow soya bean due to its high returns.

“An increasing number of farmers want to venture into soya bean production after the realisation that it is a lucrative cash crop,” he said.

“Most farmers want to take advantage of the serious shortage of the legume on the local and international market.

“Since most have no proper training on the production of the crop we realised it was important to train them and enhance their knowledge base so that they can produce a quality crop.”

During the last season soya bean was fetching $530 per tonne on the local market.
Production levels for the crop have over the years dwindled as farmers failed to access resources to finance their operations while industries that used it as a raw material were finding it cheaper to import finished products.

Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development estimates that the country would experience an acute shortage of the legume as it produced nearly 70 542 tonnes against                the national requirement of 210 000 tonnes.

The Taskforce has indicated that the country would need to import about 70 percent of its annual soya bean requirements after drought and late planting affected yields for the 2011/12 cropping season.

The expected increase in number of growers is expected to boost production levels.
Soya bean production has been on the decline over the years due to lack of markets as local companies had reduced production as consumers preferred cheap imports.

Last year a number of soya bean contract schemes were availed but later abandoned in the middle of the season due to inadequate supplies of seed after farmers had only produced 5 000 tonnes.

Local farmers rely on traditional seeds hence seed could not be imported from neighbouring countries that rely on GMO seed.

Farmers have also blamed contracting firms for ripping them off while the companies accused farmers of side marketing.

At its in 2000 the country produced 170 000 tonnes of the legume with production dipping thereafter as sanctions that the Western countries imposed in 2001 took their toll on the economy.
Soya bean is used in a variety of ways such as meat substitute, fertiliser, animal feeds and is a source of special oils. — New Ziana.