(HERALD) Zimbabwe fails to meet winter wheat target: ZFU

Zimbabwe fails to meet winter wheat target: ZFU
Herald Reporters

ZIMBABWE, traditionally a net importer of wheat, should brace for increased purchases of the cereal this year after farmers only managed to cultivate 7 000 hectares of the projected 60 000ha of the crop this winter season.

According to Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union director, Mr Paul Zakariya, Zimbabwe may harvest just 10 000 tonnes against annual national requirements of 450 000 tonnes. The yield could further decrease if power supplies for irrigation do not improve.

In a good year, Zimbabwe can produce about 150 000 tonnes but this year production is low enough to be negligible. Some farmers ditched the crop for barley this season because the latter is supported by contracting firms. Bindura farmer Mrs Diana Bepura said she abandoned wheat because of constant power cuts in her area.

"We spend more than two days without power and this has affected other farming projects that heavily depend on irrigation," she said.

Mass Producers Farm supervisor Mr Crispen Chiminya said he was forced to cut the hectarage under wheat.

"We had planned to grow 33 hectares of wheat but only managed 15 hectares which we are battling with. Those who planted early are struggling with irrigation. For the last two weeks some wheat growing areas did not have electricity and this will obviously affect yields at the end of the season," he said.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made acknowledged the problems farmers were experiencing.

"Farmers are battling with the planted crop and failing to observe their irrigation cycles due to erratic electricity supplies.

"They are having difficulties dealing with irrigation when electricity is usually available three to four hours a day," he said.

Farmers said power is usually restored during the night making it difficult to water their crop.

The winter season started late with few farmers planting ahead of the June 1 deadline while some with limited resources waited for Government subsidies, which were largely not forthcoming.