Chronicle Editor
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
FARMERS in Masvingo are this year expected to harvest more than 8 000 metric tonnes of wheat from the winter wheat crop.
The farmers increased hectarage from 700 hectares to 2 023 hectares and is expecting to getting approximately three to four tonnes per hectare.
According to the latest post Cabinet briefing the country is anticipating more than 300 000 metric tonnes of the cereal, against a national annual requirement of 360 000 metric tonnes.
This is on the backdrop of the current national wheat stocks which stand at 70 000 metric tonnes, making Zimbabwe wheat self-sufficient for the first time since 2005. In an interview, provincial Agritex officer Mr Aaron Muchazivepi said compared to the previous season, produce has grown by more than 160 percent.
“As a province, for this winter wheat season we did increase our hectarage from approximately 700 hectare to 2 023 hectares which means we have grown more than 160 percent as compared to last season.
“This was achieved through different funding programmes such as the Presidential Winter Wheat programme which we did more than 600 hectares,” he said.
Mr Muchazivepi said that they also did 1 347 hectares under the command agriculture and the national enhanced productivity scheme that they have through the CBZ Agro-Yield facility.
“For the hectares that we have in total we are looking forward to approximately three to four tonnes per hectare.
“So we are looking forward to around 6 000-8 000 metric tonnes for this winter wheat season.”
Mr Muchazivepi said that they hope to increase next season’s hectarage given the good soils, flat lands and water in the Lowveld and the partnership of the Masvingo Development Trust and Tongaat Huletts.
To date the province has grown approximately 600 hectares in the Lowveld and are hoping to increase the hectarage 2-3 folds in the coming season.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter