Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
FARMERS have urged been to ensure they roll out key wheat production techniques that are critical for higher yields as much of their wheat crop reaches physiological maturity stage.
The techniques include using crop-protection products such as fungicide and adequate fertiliser during the growing season that can protect maximum yields.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) board chairman Mr Ivan Craig said farmers should keep track of the physiological maturity of their wheat crop to ensure maximum yields.
“You can keep applying water until the stalk of the crop that is between the seeds and the flag leaf has turned brown, which means that there is no uptake of moisture and nutrients to the seed, so that is when you can withdraw the water. You can then let your crop dry to physiological maturity but before that, you have to make sure that you come up with methods and mechanisms to scare the birds away. Keep an eye on your crops every day and keep track of any changes or problems. Prompt action may save your crops,” said Mr Craig.
He said some of the methods that could be used to scare birds away were scarecrows, flying eagles and mechanisms such as putting people with whistles or jingles as well as any other methods that disturb the birds.
Mr Craig said once the wheat crop had reached physiological maturity it would be safe from the birds and farmers could let the crop dry.
“Farmers can also let the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) assist them with measuring the moisture content in their crop before they harvest. They have to make sure they harvest on time and avoid the crop being affected or soaked by the early rains of October because once it rains you find that the crop grade and yields deteriorates as well,” he added.
He said that, in turn, eats into the farmers’ profit, while calling on those who do not have combined harvesters to make arrangements with those who could assist them so that once they were ready to harvest all would be in order.
Mr Craig said farmers should also make sure that their storage facilities were ready and dry before delivering.
“It is very important that your wheat is delivered with good quality and proper moisture content. Otherwise, if it is too dry you also lose on the kilogrammes (kgs) just because of the moisture that would have been lost from the seed.”
He said those who would be harvesting and storing on their farms should ensure the storage bags were in place, the storage rooms were clean and do not have any cracks and that they were not whitewashed.
Arda is targeting to produce 100 000 metric tonnes of wheat from the about 20 000 hectares planted at its irrigation schemes, estates and contract farming.
The country last year managed to harvest at least 375 000 tonnes of wheat from 80 388 hectares against a national annual demand of 360 000 tonnes.
The harvest was a 25 percent improvement from 300 000 tonnes realised in 2021.
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