More wheat planted this season

The crop is reported to be in good condition in most parts of the country.
The latest information from Agritex is that the planted wheat is at emergence stage while some of it is at the tilling stage and 27 percent is in the late vegetative stage.

Wheat production has been declining over the years as farmers continue to face problems of late availability of inputs, constant power cuts and lack of funding. Consumers have recently encountered shortages of bread, attributed to flour scarcity. Zimbabwe requires 450 000 tonnes of wheat every year. But it is currently producing less than 100 000 tonnes. As a result. it is now a net importer of the cereal.

Mashonaland West has the biggest area under wheat at 3 130ha, compared with 1 761 last year.
Of the hectares planted, 20 percent is at emergence stage, 62 percent is at early vegetative and 18 at the tilling stage.
The crop in the province is reported to be in good condition, although persistent power cuts could affect the yield.

Mashonaland Central has 1 522ha under wheat, with 35 percent at emergence stage, 24 percent at early vegetative and 41 percent at tilling.
A hectare of wheat has been planted in Guruve representing a decrease from last year’s 20ha.

At least 32ha of wheat have been planted in Muzarabani and the crop, which is at early vegetative and tilling stages, is reported to be in good condition.
Herbicides, pesticides and fungicides, though expensive, are available on the open market.

But power cuts are affecting irrigation and are likely to affect yields.
Mashonaland East has 1 436ha under wheat with 24 percent of the crop currently at emergence stage, 3 percent at early vegetative stage, 52 percent at tilling stage and 21 percent at late vegetative stage. The crop is reportedly good in all the districts.

Although power cuts are also affecting irrigation cycles, there are no reports of severe moisture stress.
In Manicaland, 1 338ha have been planted, compared with 1 307ha planted during the same period last year.

Of the planted hectarage, 38 percent is at emergence stage, 48 percent at early vegetative and 14 percent at tilling stage.
In terms of provincial total, Nyanga district has planted 80ha, 73 percent less than last year’s. Chimanimani has 76ha compared with 180ha last year.
But Makoni district has registered an increase of 123 percent from last season’s 186ha to 415ha this year. The crop is in “fair to good” condition.

Midlands province has doubled wheat production this season with 831ha planted this year from last season’s 448ha.
Of the province’s total for, Kwekwe has 623 ha, representing an increase from last year’s 345 ha.

The crop is generally in good condition. although constant power cuts are threatening production.
Masvingo has so far planted 377ha, a decline from 533ha from last year.

The crop is in good condition with 98 percent of it at early vegetative stage and the remaining 2 percent at emergence stage.