We’ve enough seeds for coming season: Seed Co

Business Reporter

Seed Co Zimbabwe has assured farmers that it has enough seeds for the 2016 /17 farming season. Seed Co head of public relations and communications Marjorie Mutemererwa said the organisation has developed a number of seed varieties that suit current weather patterns. “We have secured enough seeds for the coming season which can cover the whole country. We have different varieties considering the changing weather patterns and average rainfall being received in most areas.

“We have added to this basket SC303, the earliest hybrid available in the country which also boasts good foliar disease coverage,” she said.

Currently Seed Co, which is operating in 13 countries in Africa and has been in existence for more than 75 years, is the largest seed supplier in Zimbabwe.

“The new maize seed variety which we introduced this year is the ultra-early heat and drought resistant hybrid SC301 which takes three months to mature with a capacity to yield more than 7 tonnes per hectare,” she said.

Ms Mutemererwa also said the company had also introduced a flint grain type with good drought tolerance and thick cob in the 4-series.

“In the 4-series, we have introduced SC417 and SC419. SC417 is a flint grain type; with good drought tolerance and thick cobs; while SC419 is the highest 400 series yielder with very white grain; excellent drought tolerance; widely adaptable and fast dry down rate, among other attributes,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Mutemererwa said Government’s Command Agriculture programme is destined to be a success since the farmers they have been supplying with seed have capacity to produce 5 to 10 tonnes per hectare, the required programme yield.

Command Agriculture is a special programme, mooted by Government to produce at least 2 million tonnes of maize through the utilisation of 400 000 hectares land.