Midlands targets 12 000 hectares winter wheat

OVER 1 000 hectares have been put under winter wheat in the Midlands as the province targets to put 12 000ha under the crop this season.

The Midlands Province has set a target of harvesting 60 000 tonnes of winter wheat this year, contributing approximately 19 percent of the national wheat requirements of 320 000 tonnes.

The Government is targeting to increase wheat production to meet the national requirement in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, the Agriculture Recovery Plan and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) in pursuit of the vision of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income economy by 2030.

Wheat is mostly grown under irrigation during the winter season, which runs from May to July with the crop being harvested from October to December.

During the rainy season, from October to March, farmers plant other crops, such as soya beans and maize. In the Midlands, winter wheat is mainly grown in Sherwood Block and farms around the Kwekwe District.

There are also some irrigation schemes in Mberengwa, Lower Gweru and Shurugwi, which contribute to the provincial target.

Among the leading farmers is Mr Douglas Kwande, of the fast-growing Douglas and Claris Kwande (DCK) Investments, which own DCK Farm in Kwekwe who put 750ha under wheat last season.

At Precabe Farm owned by the First Family, last year, they put over 600ha under winter wheat.

Commenting on progress so far, Midlands Provincial Agronomist, Mr Innocent Dzuke, said winter wheat crop planting was on course.

“To date, we have over 1 000ha under winter wheat and our target is 12 000ha. Farmers are still planting,” he said.

Mr Dzuke urged farmers to stick to the wheat farming guidelines, adding that they have about 10 days to plant wheat before the planting season ends.

Mr Ronnie Chigombe, a sales agronomist at SeedCo, said the company has introduced two new high-yielding wheat crops called SC Serena and SC9101.

“We have these two top-notch executive genetics, which we believe can work wonders for the farmers. The SC Serena Benefits are high yielder, adapted across wheat producing areas and resistant to leaf rust,” he said.

Mr Chigombe said the wheat planting window is still open.

“Farmers can plant their wheat until the end of May for all wheat growing areas.

“Farmers are urged to plant on time to achieve the best yields and to achieve double cropping for double the profits,” he said.