(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) Farmers predict high yields
Sunday, 12 January 2014 00:00
Mercy Bofu
The Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) has expressed confidence that the country will reach its maize production target of 2,2 million tonnes following the favourable rainfall the country has received in recent weeks.
In an interview last week, ZFU vice-president Mr Berean Mukwende said farmers were also geared towards high output on the back of the input support they received from Government.
He, however, encouraged maize producers who are still planting to wind up and shift focus to other food crops.
“We are encouraged by the downpour and we hope that this continues throughout the season so that we achieve our targeted hectarage, especially on maize where we are targeting 2 million tonnes.
“I am sure this is achievable considering the support that farmers got from the Government. Up to now I can confirm that farmers are still receiving fertilisers under the Government scheme.
“We are also encouraging farmers to wind up the planting of food crops like maize since it is now late. Rather, they can concentrate on crops like sugar beans and cow peas.”
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa concurred, saying the rainfall pattern was encouraging.
“Though some low-lying areas were affected by flooding since they were receiving high rainfall daily, we foresee a great future in terms of yields,” he said.
“We are also expecting increased yields for cotton and tobacco. Many farmers are now in the fifth reaping season.”
Over the past few years, the country has harvested low yields owing to erratic rainfall, forcing authorities to turn to grain imports.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, ZFU (ZIMBABWE)
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Farmers likely to miss winter wheat planting deadline: ZFU
Saturday, 14 April 2012 18:36
Emilia Zindi, Agriculture Editor
The Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) has bemoaned the late introduction of the US$20 million Winter Wheat Scheme by Government, saying farmers are likely to miss next month’s planting deadline due to the red tape involved in accessing the funds.
Last week, Government unveiled the scheme which is expected to see wheat growers accessing vouchers from CBZ Bank. The vouchers should be produced before one can collect inputs from Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.
ZFU executive director Mr Paul Zakariya welcomed the scheme, but called for the timely disbursement of funds.
“Effectively, Government via GMB, CBZ and wheat farmers have about 16 days to put their house in order, which seems impossible,” he said.
“Ideally, the country should be through with planning for wheat by February at the latest.”
Mr Zakariya advocated wide stakeholder consultations before the crafting and implementation of input support programmes.
He urged Zesa Holdings and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority to honour commitments to provide uninterrupted electricity and water respectively.
He also called on Government to explore the possibility of having critical service providers introduce concessionary rates for farmers, saying farmers are being forced to fork out US$700 to irrigate a hectare each month.
“It is not sustainable to have a farmer use US$2 800 to irrigate each hectare he has under wheat per season.
“Over the years, focus has been on providing farmers with subsidised inputs, but that is only part of the equation.
“Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. It is, however, operating below capacity because of a lack of seriousness by those that are expected to support it.
“Farmers are ready to produce food for the nation, but have been badly let down by lack of support from the relevant stakeholders.”
Analysts note that the timely payment of farmers by the GMB is also critical in boosting wheat production.
Most farmers are yet to be paid for grain delivered last season.
Speaking at the launch of the Winter Wheat Scheme, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said the US$20 million allocated for the initiative should result in 26 280 hectares of land going under wheat.
“We are proposing that we target 26 280 hectares of winter wheat and the requirement is US$20 million. This targeted hectarage should give us a production of 75 000 metric tonnes,” he said.
Dr Made said the inputs will be distributed through the GMB at cost price as part of moves to prevent unscrupulous individuals from accessing subsidised inputs and then reselling them at exorbitant prices.
“Inputs would be accessed at cost price under a credit arrangement. The money as financed would be at a concessionary interest rate of 3 percent.
“We are trying to avoid arbitrage because there were some farmers who pick up the inputs and then resell them.
“Each participating farmer would receive a voucher from CBZ and upon receipt of that voucher delivered wheat for the previous season in order to access inputs.”
Labels: WHEAT, ZFU (ZIMBABWE)
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Farmers likely to miss winter wheat planting deadline: ZFU
Saturday, 14 April 2012 18:36
Emilia Zindi
Agriculture Editor
The Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) has bemoaned the late introduction of the US$20 million Winter Wheat Scheme by Government, saying farmers are likely to miss next month’s planting deadline due to the red tape involved in accessing the funds.
Last week, Government unveiled the scheme which is expected to see wheat growers accessing vouchers from CBZ Bank. The vouchers should be produced before one can collect inputs from Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.
ZFU executive director Mr Paul Zakariya welcomed the scheme, but called for the timely disbursement of funds.
“Effectively, Government via GMB, CBZ and wheat farmers have about 16 days to put their house in order, which seems impossible,” he said.
“Ideally, the country should be through with planning for wheat by February at the latest.”
Mr Zakariya advocated wide stakeholder consultations before the crafting and implementation of input support programmes.
He urged Zesa Holdings and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority to honour commitments to provide uninterrupted electricity and water respectively.
He also called on Government to explore the possibility of having critical service providers introduce concessionary rates for farmers, saying farmers are being forced to fork out US$700 to irrigate a hectare each month.
“It is not sustainable to have a farmer use US$2 800 to irrigate each hectare he has under wheat per season.
“Over the years, focus has been on providing farmers with subsidised inputs, but that is only part of the equation.
“Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. It is, however, operating below capacity because of a lack of seriousness by those that are expected to support it.
“Farmers are ready to produce food for the nation, but have been badly let down by lack of support from the relevant stakeholders.”
Analysts note that the timely payment of farmers by the GMB is also critical in boosting wheat production.
Most farmers are yet to be paid for grain delivered last season.
Speaking at the launch of the Winter Wheat Scheme, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said the US$20 million allocated for the initiative should result in 26 280 hectares of land going under wheat.
“We are proposing that we target 26 280 hectares of winter wheat and the requirement is US$20 million. This targeted hectarage should give us a production of 75 000 metric tonnes,” he said.
Dr Made said the inputs will be distributed through the GMB at cost price as part of moves to prevent unscrupulous individuals from accessing subsidised inputs and then reselling them at exorbitant prices.
“Inputs would be accessed at cost price under a credit arrangement. The money as financed would be at a concessionary interest rate of 3 percent.
“We are trying to avoid arbitrage because there were some farmers who pick up the inputs and then resell them.
“Each participating farmer would receive a voucher from CBZ and upon receipt of that voucher delivered wheat for the previous season in order to access inputs.”
Labels: GRAIN MARKETING BOARD ZIMBABWE, JOSEPH MADE, WHEAT, ZFU (ZIMBABWE)
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Farmers call for ban on imported farm produce
By Phyllis Kachere
Saturday, 14 May 2011 22:56
Fruits and vegetables of South African origin being sold in a supermarket in Groombridge at the expense of local produce.FARMERS have castigated policymakers for failure to initiate and harmonise agricultural policies that protect them as Zimbabwe gears for the regional free customs union.
Responding to questions over the Zimbabwe agricultural sector’s preparedness to join the soon-to-come free customs union, the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) lambasted what it termed the unco-ordinated agricultural policies prevailing in the country with regards the importation of agricultural produce.
“We welcome agricultural produce imports for those products not readily available through local farmers, but what we have experienced is that agricultural produce is being imported willy-nilly.
“Go to local supermarkets, they are stuffed with imported vegetables and fruits. Surprisingly we have local farmers who have been forced to dump their produce for lack of markets. Importing lemons, do we really have a shortage of lemons in the country?” lamented ZFU’s first vice-president Mr Abdul Nyathi.
Mr Nyathi explained that policymakers do not consult them and this lack of consultation has led to disastrous policies that prejudice them being implemented.
“When there are shortages in the market, we have no problems with the imports. We have fought battles over the importation of foreign chicken on our market. The country was allowing cheap South African chickens into the country and these threatened local chicken production,” said Mr Nyathi.
A visit to Harare’s uptown supermarkets revealed a variety of mainly South African-imported fruits and vegetables, including locally abundant sweet potatoes.
A supermarket in Groombridge had almost all its shelves filled with South African fruits and vegetables.
Ironically on one of the South African-imported beetroot on sale in the supermarket was written, “Buying this products creates jobs”.
Queried Mr Nyathi: “Zimbabwe is now selling South African beetroot to create jobs for South Africans. Meanwhile, what is happening to Zimbabwean farmers? Farmers in Manicaland are throwing away their fruits and vegetables because no one is buying them.”
The situation was the same at other shops at Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale and Avondale.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, agricultural and environmental consultant Mr Rodger Mpande explained that the prevailing situation where business imports locally available agricultural produce does not augur well for the country’s agricultural development.
“These fruits and vegetables are imported at roughly 40 percent tariff structure, but business still imports and charges premium prices for them.
“Now, if they stock their shops from local produce, wouldn’t that be empowerment for our local farmers who have been forced to throw away their produce for lack of markets?” queried Mr Mpande.
He said policymakers should be alive to international trading patterns and ensure that Zimbabwe does not become a dumping ground for both regional and overseas producers.
He queried why ZimStats (formerly Central Statistical Office) was not guiding policymakers through their statistics.
“Shouldn’t ZimStats be guiding policymakers through their provision of statistics? They should be aware of where the gaps are in the agricultural sector.
“Say, if there is a shortage of lemons, ZimStats should provide that information to farmer organisations who will then communicate with their membership to take up the opportunity in growing the lemons,” said Mr Mpande.
He also castigated farmer organisations for failing to use available data to guide them produce for both the local and export market.
For example, the Horticultural Promotions Council has produced a fruit and vegetable calendar that clearly spells out likely horticultural produce shortages, which local farmers could take advantage of.
“Policymakers should be judicious and create policies that ensure Zimbabwe does not become a dumping ground for foreign agricultural policies,” said Mr Mpande.
- The Sunday Mail
Labels: AGRICULTURE, NEOLIBERALISM, ZFU (ZIMBABWE)
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‘Contractors must not exploit farmers’
Agriculture Reporter
Contractors should forge mutually beneficial partnerships with farmers so that both parties meet their ends of the bargain. Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union president Mr Silas Hungwe made the remarks against the backdrop of complaints from both sides about implementation of contracts.
Mr Hungwe challenged the responsible authorities to ensure that contractors did not exploit farmers, adding that contracted farmers should get due reward for their efforts.
"We need a clear guideline that will see farmers getting what they deserve after engaging in contract farming. Government has already come up with such a policy and what is needed is enforcement as some farmers are still crying foul," said Mr Hungwe.
In some cases, contractors give farmers inputs well after the recommended planting time.
Tobacco Farmers’ Association national chairman Mr Douglas Mhembere said there was need for the Government to organise workshops to educate farmers on contract farming. "The most affected are tobacco farmers who have always been on the losing side. This makes it imperative to educate farmers on what they should expect when they enter into contracts.
"They obviously need that knowledge just like they need the inputs," Mr Mhembere said.
Contractors, however, complain that farmers sell their crop to other buyers after having supported them throughout the season.
The problem of side-marketing has resulted in some legal challenges by the firms, the cotton sector being a case in point.Labels: NEW FARMERS, SILAS HUNGWE, ZFU (ZIMBABWE)
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