Winter wheat harvesting progressing smoothly

WINTER wheat harvesting is progressing well in the Midlands province where over 4 500 hectares have been harvested to date amid indications that some farmers are getting an average of seven tonnes per hectare.

Wheat harvesting in the province was briefly disrupted by rains last week but farmers have since resumed harvesting as the moisture content is now in the acceptable range of 12,5 percent at Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

Wheat is mostly grown under irrigation during the winter season, which runs from May to July in Zimbabwe before the crop is harvested from October to December.

During the rainy season from October to March, farmers plant other crops such as soya beans and maize.

In the Midlands province, farmers successfully put over 10 000ha under winter wheat, which is above 9 000ha target that had been set for this season.

The province last year achieved a record 7 378ha, harvesting about 36 000 tonnes of wheat.

Winter wheat is mainly grown in the Sherwood block and in farms around the Kwekwe district. There are also some irrigation schemes in Gokwe South, Mberengwa, Lower Gweru and Shurugwi, which contribute to the provincial target. Lead farmers such as Mr Douglas Kwande of the fast-growing Douglas and Claris Kwande (DCK) Investments, which own DCK Farm in Kwekwe are some of the farmers that have started harvesting early. DCK farm has 750ha under wheat and has already harvested 250ha.

At Sherwood Park Estate in Kwekwe, Mr Daniel Burger has a flourishing crop of 280ha and is expecting to harvest an average nine tonnes per hectare. Last year the farm averaged 8,5 tonnes per hectare.

At Precabe Farm owned by the First Family, there is also over 600ha under winter wheat. Midlands Provincial Agronomist, Mr Innocent Dzuke, said winter wheat crop harvesting had resumed.

“Farmers have resumed winter wheat harvesting following disruptions caused by rains that fell in parts of the province. To date over 4 500ha have been harvested against 10 034ha planted,” he said.

Sherwood Park Estate manager Mr Simbiso Magasa said they were expecting to have harvested all the 280ha by the end of day yesterday.

“We started harvesting two weeks ago and we were briefly disrupted by the rains last week. But in all fairness, we did well and today (yesterday) by day end we are expecting to have harvested all the 280ha. We are averaging 8,4 tonnes per ha,” he said.

At Mutange Irrigation Icheme in Gokwe South District winter wheat harvesting is also progressing well.

Mr Samuel Chikwekwete, the chairperson of the irrigation scheme said 40 of the 75 hectares under wheat have so far been harvested after the Government availed a combine harvester on time.

“We had 75ha under wheat and we harvested 40ha. We are grateful to the Government for availing a combine harvester in time. We, however, are expecting about five tonnes per hectare because the crop was affected by water challenges,” he said.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Owen Ncube, at the weekend visited Mutange irrigation scheme to see progress in terms of harvesting of winter wheat.

He said the Government was assisting farmers with combine harvesters and other equipment so that harvesting is done expeditiously.

“It’s sad that the crop was affected by lack of water but we want that problem addressed so that farmers don’t experience the same problem. Irrigation schemes are meant to improve food sufficiency and contribute towards community development in line with Vision 2030,” he said.

Mr Ronnie Chigombe, sales agronomist at Seedco said before harvesting farmers should make sure the moisture content is correct, adding that those farmers with their own moisture meters should make sure they are well calibrated and those without can send samples to GMB for testing.

The country is expecting a record-breaking wheat harvest of over 420 000 tonnes from last year’s 375 000 tonnes after it registered 11 percent rise in area planted from 80 885 hectares to 90 192.

Last year’s production made Zimbabwe and Ethiopia the only two wheat-secure nations on the continent. Farmers are already responding to the Government’s initiatives as they have ramped up preparations for the farming season.

The bulk of the planting was done under the Government-guaranteed CBZ Agro-Yield programme, while the other hectares were funded by private contractors and through the Presidential Winter Wheat Scheme.