happiness Chikwanha
Ashton Mutyavaviri
OWING to the late start of the 2023/24 agriculture season and the subsequent delay in harvesting the summer crop, Government has extended the wheat planting window to June 14 to accommodate farmers with recently cleared fields.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri announced Government’s decision on Monday, which he said was also meant to ensure the country is flour secure.
Farmers harvesting maize and those engaged in other activities should finish planting before the deadline. He urged them to work closely with extension officers for adjusted agronomic practices.
Prof Jiri explained that some farmers had just received their inputs and should be given a chance to plant.
“Over 91 000ha of wheat had been planted as at May 31, 2024, surpassing last season’s 90 000ha, thanks to farmers for heeding the call to consolidate wheat based food security, as a drought mitigation strategy,” said Prof Jiri.
He urged farmers intending to continue planting to increase the seed rate to compensate for reduced tillers, which occur when wheat is planted late.
Said Prof Jiri: “The seed rate per hectare can be increased to 160 kilogrammes. Late planted wheat tends to produce few tillers (due to less time for tillering) and less productive tillers.”
He told farmers to do shallow planting with a depth of 2 to 2,5 centimetres to speed up the germination and emergency. Top dressing should start early at day 10 after emergency, he said.
“Another top-dressing application can be done at day 21, as well as well as two weeks later to boost plant growth as well as allow the wheat crop to synthesise more protein, which would have been made during hardening process,” he stressed.
The wheat hardening time can also be reduced from the recommended 21 days to about 10 days to maximise on the growing period.
Prof Jiri observed that increased wheat production was an effective strategy to ensure food security this season. He urged farmers to freely approach their local Agritex offices/officers for winter wheat efficient agronomic practices for good yields.
He added that Government had cleared all wheat payments.
“All wheat farmers’ outstanding payments have been cleared, demonstrating Government’s commitment to creating an economically enabling environment for farmers since farming is a business,” said Prof Jiri
He further explained that wheat would not only serve people but would also be utilised as feed for livestock, offering a supplementary nutritional option for animals when drought conditions limit grazing availability.
Meanwhile, AFC Leasing Company has advised wheat farmers contracted by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) that they are eligible for the company’s tillage services at 10 percent discount and zero deposit, as part of the push to achieve Government’s set target of 120 000ha.
The company’s regional operations and business development manager Mr Simbarashe Kadengwa said the 10 percent discount was given for full tillage services, which comprise ploughing, discing and boom-spraying.
Government is also working closely with stakeholders such as Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) and Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)to ensure that there is uninterrupted power and water supplies to enable the nation to meet its targeted yield of 600 000 tonnes.
It has ordered Zesa and Zinwa to ensure uninterrupted power and irrigation water supplies to farmers this winter, as it moves to increase the area planted from 91 000ha last season to 120 000ha.
Zimbabwe is now wheat self-sufficient and is among sub-Saharan Africa’s top producers together with Ethiopia, South Africa, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zambia.
Boosting wheat production has been identified as one of the effective ways of guaranteeing food security and national sovereignty.
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