Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Maize output under threat

Maize output under threat
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:59:00 +0000

Agnes Brovera holds an open ear of ripe maize, which is the country's staple food, on the outskirts of the capital Harare February 21,2006. REUTERS

ZIMBABWE'S maize output is under threat from a dry spell that could mean more food shortages in coming months and a disastrous season for the country's farmers, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said that a lack of rain in the past few weeks and a severe fertiliser shortage had left many crops in a bad state, and a top industry official said farmers faced a disastrous season.

Made said many districts across the southern African country, including its major maize production belts, have experienced long dry spells and crops were moisture-stressed.

"It's not looking rosy," he said on ZTV, the local television station.

Zimbabwean farmers had planted one million hectares of the staple maize compared to 900,000 hectares last year and Made said authorities were preparing for their first national crop assessment for the Nov-April farming season.

The government had projected a 2.5 million tonne yield of the staple grain in the current farming season, double last year's output.

Made said that in addition to a shortage of top-dressing fertiliser, commercial farmers were also struggling to irrigate their crops because of electricity shortages, and he warned those with fertiliser not to apply it while the dry spell persists.

"Some crops might get worse if they are top dressed...because it is better to delay than to kill their crops," he said.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers' Union acting president Isaiah Marapira said replanting was not advisable as the season was too advanced.

"The situation is bad countrywide. The season is already out in terms of planting and there could be a disaster if does not rain this weekend," he told the official Herald newspaper

Labels: JOSEPH MADE, MAIZE

posted by MrK @ 4:02 AM