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Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer
WITH planting of the 2023 winter wheat already underway in some parts of the country, farmers have called on the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to provide uninterrupted electricity to allow the country to achieve its target of 85 000 hectares and the projected yields of 408 000 tonnes.
Food Crop Contractors Association (FCCA) Chairperson Mr Graeme Murdoch said there was need to assure farmers of the availability of continuous electricity supplies to avoid disrupting their irrigation rosters given that adequate water is key for the successful production of the crop.
“Wheat farmers’ access to electricity must be prioritised during the whole wheat production period,” said Mr Murdoch.
Zimbabwe Integrated Commercial Farmers Union president Mrs Mayiwepi Jiti concurred saying there was no wheat production without proper irrigation scheduling, which is only possible with reliable electricity and water supplies.
Mrs Jiti also echoed Mr Murdoch’s calls to give farmers guarantees on the availability of power and excite production especially from this point going forward when planting and land preparations are in progress.
“ZINWA must also reduce the water tariffs they hiked early this month, as the move is coming through as a disincentive to increased wheat hectarage,” said Mrs Jiti.
Highlighting the importance of power supply, an A2 farmer from Chitomborwizi in Mashonaland West province, Mr Penikati Magwada said he had planned to do 220 hectares this year but as a result of the current punishing load shedding schedule, only 120ha would be planted.
“I planted 140ha under wheat last year and achieved an average of 4, 9 tonnes per hectare and this year I wanted to increase to 220ha, but now that we get electricity only in the evening only, I am forced to do 120ha.
“If I could get 24 hours of uninterrupted electricity, I can do the 220ha and schedule irrigation for both day and night,” said Mr Magwada.
Mr Magwada said he had already started preparations on land that had tobacco and is building a dryer to fast track the drying of his maize crop currently sitting on land he intends to use for wheat.
He expressed reservations on the recently increased water tariffs by Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) only saying it would reduce the crop’s profitability.
The Department of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Soil Conservation recently said mechanisation operations, which fall under wheat production and requiring precise scheduling, planning and management include tillage, planting, chemical application, harvesting, drying, transportation and storage.
The department revealed that the country had enough tractors and combine harvesters to cater for winter wheat production.
To escape post-production losses, the department will ensure that all the winter wheat farmers get timely access to combine harvesters.
The AFC Leasing Company of Zimbabwe has tractors that are fully equipped with the necessary attachments/implements plus combine harvesters capable of tilling 60 000ha and harvesting 40 000ha respectively.
For access to mechanisation services farmers can do cash payments, use the stop-order system or use grain as payment.
Online Reporter