adminplanted 13 578ha of the crop. Information released by Agritex indicates that seven percent of the area under wheat is at early vegetative stage, 27 percent at tillering, 24 percent at late vegetative, 32 percent at booting, six percent at flowering, three percent at milk dough while a percentage is at soft dough stage.
The crop is generally good although quelea birds were noticed in Muzarabani and reports were made to the relevant authorities.
Mashonaland West, which has the largest area under wheat, has a good crop.
Some farmers in the area are spot applying Ammonium Nitrate on yellowing wheat. Power has however, significantly improved in the province.
In Mashonaland Central the crop is fair Muzarabani, Guruve and Rushinga.
The quelea birds that have been identified in Muzarabani and Bindura have not caused any damage. Power supply has also improved. Mashonaland East which planted 1 591ha has a good crop with an early crop at flowering stage. Top dressing has been affected by intermittent irrigation due to persistent power cuts. Farmers in Manicaland are still top dressing and the crop is reported to be in fair to good condition. Constant power cuts are affecting the crop and there are fears this may reduce wheat productivity and yields at the end of the season.
The crop in Midlands is fair to good although some parts of the province have been hit by moisture stress.
More than 15 hectares of early planted wheat in Kwekwe were destroyed by frost, stray animals in Shurugwi destroyed 0,2 hectares while Gweru had five hectares of the crop lightly affected by frost.
In Shurugwi, 3,5 hectares wheat under wetlands is under moisture stress. Weeding is in progress in Masvingo. Power supply in the province has improved and the crop is in good condition. Matabeleland North has 501 hectares planted to fairly good wheat. At ARDA Jotsholo 67 hectares were affected by Shamva grass due to inadequate labour for weeding. In Umguza, 57 hectares are showing Nitrogen deficiency due to delayed top dressing with constant power cuts negatively affecting irrigation and wheat productivity.
Wheat growers in Matabeleland South are in the process of applying top dressing while the early crop is at flowering stage.
There is no funding for wheat with farmers having to source from banks which offer short term unviable loans.
The Government’s subsidised input facility is usually availed to farmers when the season will be advanced making it pointless for farmers to buy the inputs.
Zimbabwe has been struggling to produce wheat with other experts suggesting the money channelled for inputs be used to import wheat while others claim that wheat is a strategic crop therefore the country could not wholly depend on imports.
The country requires 450 000 tonnes of wheat annually and has been producing far below resulting in it being a net importer of the commodity.
Online Reporter