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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
STAKEHOLDERS in the agriculture industry have called on the Government to swiftly wrap up the disbursement of outstanding Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs to enable farmers to take advantage of the high numbers of people currently in the countryside, thanks to the festive season.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) secretary general Mr Paul Zakariya yesterday made an impassioned plea to the relevant authorities to ensure they complete expedite the distribution of inputs and wrap it up soon.
“It is prudent for the distribution of inputs to be completed urgently to enable farmers to plant with the rains being experienced country-wide if the country is hoping to achieve increased yields,” said Mr Zakariya.
A farmer from Ward 8 in Seke district who requested anonymity said: “The first batch of farmers under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme got a 10-kilogramme pack of maize seed and one bag of compound D, while the second batch only received a 10-kilogramme pack of seed without fertiliser.
“Most farmers may fail to acquire fertilisers if they fail to get their allotments from the Pfumvudza programme since the commodity is exorbitantly priced in most retail outlets. This may end up causing reduced yields even if the rains would have been adequate,” said the farmer.
A 10-kilogramme pack of maize seed is enough to cover an acre of land and requires about two and half bags of Compound D and three (3) for top-dressing fertiliser.
The weekly Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Service report dated December 19 shows that 23 percent of maize seed is still to be distributed countrywide with Matabeleland South province recording the lowest distribution percentage of 48 while Manicaland had the largest at 88.
The disbursement of sorghum seed to farmers across the country is also lagging behind, as only 52 percent was given to farmers with an outstanding balance of 1 191 tonnes. The most ideal province for sorghum production, Matabeleland North had the lowest disbursement at 35 percent while Manicaland province had the highest at 95.
Less than half of the pearl millet seed has been issued to farmers across the country at 49 percent. Matabeleland North and South provinces have achieved the lowest disbursement rates of 32 and 38 percent respectively while Midlands has the highest at 71.
So far, only 44 percent of farmers’ basal fertiliser requirements has been distributed with 15 percent of top dressing fertiliser having been disbursed too.
Manicaland is the only province that has managed to distribute all its basal fertiliser while Matabeleland South has dispatched a lowly 66 percent of its allocation of top dressing fertiliser.
Cereal production has risen by 132 percent this season in a clear demonstration of farmers’ commitment to increase crop production and ensure food and nutrition security on the backdrop of the projected normal to above normal rains.
Maize hectarage rose by 121 percent from 284 303ha last year to 628 741ha this year. Manicaland province accounts for 27 percent of the total planted area countrywide with 169 903ha. Sorghum production also increased by a giant 342 percent form 14 916ha last year to 65 931ha this year with Masvingo province contributing the largest area of 14 220ha.
Online Reporter