Rains threaten 7 000 hectares of winter wheat

Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

THE current wet spell is likely to affect over 7 000 hectares under winter wheat in Mashonaland West.

The province has managed to harvest 78 percent of the 35 000 hectares that were put under the cereal crop this year.

As of Wednesday, the province had harvested almost 140 000 tonnes of the crop.

The current hectarage under threat is likely to give a yield output of about 30 metric tonnes.

Provincial Agritex director, Mrs Evelyn Ndoro on Wednesday said 78 percent of harvestable area had been harvested at an average yield of 5.26 tonnes per hectare.

She said the current rains were however threatening some of the crops in the field that was ready for harvesting.

Experts have called on farmers to invest in drying facilities to avoid post-harvest lost.

The Government has invested in the drying facilities having installed dryers at most Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots throughout the country.