Andrew
Senior Business Reporter
Harvesting of winter wheat, which began three weeks ago, is almost complete, with output expected to top a record 380 000 tonnes, which is 20 000 tonnes more than local demand.
A record haul of the cereal – enough to cover 13 months at current consumption rates – would cut the country’s import bill, particularly at a time when supply on the global market is limited owing to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president, Dr Shadreck Makombe, said harvesting is going on well across the country.
“Harvesting started a few weeks ago and is almost complete,” said Dr Makombe.
“As it stands right now, harvesting is going on smoothly and we expect those farmers who are yet to complete harvesting to do so in the next few weeks.
“In terms of the quality of the crop, it might be affected by the recent rains, but, of course, they did not affect much.”
He said the wheat-growing areas did not receive much of the rains.
The Meteorological Services Department expects the rainy season to begin mid-next month.
The Government recently announced that it would be distributing 111 combine harvesters to 20 distribution centres countrywide.
Overall, during the current cropping season, the combine harvesting capacity improved by more than 100 000 hectares. Farmers have already started to deliver their crop to the Grain Marketing Board.
The Government has pegged the winter wheat floor price at US$620 per tonne, which farmers have welcomed.
From the US$620, farmers will get about US$200 in foreign currency while the remainder will be paid in local currency at the willing-buyer, willing-seller rate.
“The farmers have started delivering wheat and they are yet to be paid for the grain, but we expect that by the end of next week (this week), payments will be effected.
“If what’s being said goes according to plan, we are seeing most farmers smiling,” added Dr Makombe.
In a separate interview, a farmer in Chegutu district, Mr Wonder Chabikwa, who is also ZCFU past president, said he had completed harvesting.
“Wheat harvesting has started and it’s almost complete across the country. In my case, l have delivered to the GMB and the quality of the crop was good.
“The yield was affected by quelea birds, because there are very few wheat farmers in the district, otherwise l could have produced six tonnes per hectare compared to the 5,5 tonnes that l achieved,’’ he said.
The Government is currently on an import substitution drive, which is premised on the local manufacture and consumption of local goods and services.
The foreign currency that would be saved through the exercise would be channelled to productive sectors of the economy.
This year, the hectarage that was put under wheat was increased to a record 80 000 through Government programmes that include Pfumvudza/Intwasa, the Presidential Winter Wheat Scheme and the CBZ Agro-Yield initiative.
The Food Contractors Association, which is a private sector-driven initiative, played a crucial role after the Government mandated it to produce 40 percent of the national requirement.
The private players planted 25 000ha against a target of 23 000ha.
Online Reporter