Wheat farmer maintains dominance

Patrick Chitumba

Midlands Bureau Chief

KWEKWE-based farmer, Mr Douglas Kwande of DCK Farm, has maintained dominance in wheat production after planting 500 hectares this winter season.

This has contributed immensely to the Midlands Province’s hectarage which has surpassed the 12 000ha target set by Government.

The Midlands province is expecting to harvest 60 000 tonnes of winter wheat, which translates to 19 percent of the country’s wheat requirements.

Wheat is mainly grown in the Sherwood Block in the Kwekwe district and Precabe Farm, which is owned by the First Family is among the Kwekwe farms producing wheat.

The country is expecting to produce 600 000 tonnes of wheat this year.

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, toured the DCK Farm recently to assess the winter wheat.

Mr Kwande’s contribution to the province’s wheat production is likely inspire other farmers in the province.

“Hard work and determination are indeed key factors in achieving success in agriculture. When we started some seven years ago, this farm was just a bush.”

Mr Kwande said he managed to overcome a number of challenges hence he was now recording good harvests.

“Over the years we have been improving. Presently we planted 500 hectares of wheat and we are expecting an average of seven tonnes per hectare,” he said.

Dr Masuka said the Government had come up with some enabling strategies meant to boost production.

“We have arrangements with stakeholders like Zesa and Zinwa to allow farmers to pay their bills after selling their crops.”

Dr Masuka said a good wheat harvest with enhance the country’s food security.

He said to address the problem of droughts, the country should adopt smart agricultural techniques.