Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
Zimbabwe has surpassed its tobacco planting target for the 2025/26 season, exceeding 140 000 hectares, the highest ever recorded in the country.
Following this milestone, Government has urged farmers to stop planting and focus on crop management to maximise yields and leaf quality.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said late-planted dryland tobacco should now be curtailed.
Speaking during an assessment tour of plant progress and the general crop situation at Kilmer Farm in Mazowe on Tuesday, Prof Jiri said sufficient hectarage had already been achieved and attention must now shift towards nurturing the crop to ensure higher output and quality leaf.
He revealed that Zimbabwe has also surpassed national crop planting targets for the 2025/26 agricultural season, with maize hectarage exceeding 1,8 million hectares.
Traditional grains are also expected to exceed the planned 500 000 hectares, as farmers responded positively to good rains and Government input support programmes.
Prof Jiri noted that maize planting has largely stopped across the country, particularly in Mashonaland Central Province, which has already exceeded its maize target.
However, he encouraged farmers to continue planting traditional grains such as sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet and sunflower, which can still be successfully planted under the current rains up.
“Farmers should utilise every available unplanted space to grow traditional grains to boost household and national food security,” said Prof Jiri.
With the country now deep into the agricultural season and persistent rains being experienced, farmers were urged to intensify field scouting to detect pests and diseases early.
“Scouting is key at this stage. The prevailing wet conditions provide a conducive environment for pests and diseases and early detection allows for timely control,” he said.
Prof Jiri also advised farmers to remain vigilant against weeds through the use of herbicides, hand-hoeing and mechanical cultivation to avoid competition for nutrients and moisture.
He warned of increased risks of fertiliser leaching due to heavy rains and encouraged farmers to adopt split fertiliser application.
“Applying fertiliser in stages and timing application during breaks in rainfall will ensure nutrients are effectively utilised by crops and not washed beyond the root zone,” he said.
A national crop and livestock assessment will be conducted later this month, with a comprehensive report expected in early February to confirm planted areas and yield projections.
Prof Jiri said initial observations point to strong performance by farmers across most regions and expressed confidence that targets for major crops will be exceeded.
On inputs, he said fertiliser supplies under the Presidential Input Support Programme remain largely adequate.
“Basal fertiliser availability is sufficient, while temporary constraints in top-dressing fertiliser are due to delays in approving a statutory instrument that allows duty-free importation,” he said.
He added that the situation is expected to normalise in the coming days as consignments clear at ports of entry.
