Agribusiness
Over 4 000 hectares put under winter wheat More than 4 000 hectares have so far been put under winter wheat, as farmers are urged to intensify planting to beat the May 31 planting deadline.
“To date CBZ has completed contracting of 49 377 hectares (904 farmers) which is 78 percent of the targeted 60 000 hectares.”
Planting wheat after the deadline is not recommended as yields will be compromised and the late crop affected by early rains.
The department recommended that input distribution be expedited and farmers encouraged to plant before the May 31 deadline.
According to the latest wheat update from Agritex, 4 132 hectares have been planted under Command Agriculture (CBZ Agro Yield), while inputs distribution has intensified.
According to Agritex, The Presidential Input Scheme has registered over 7 500 hectares for wheat and farmers are now awaiting inputs.
“A total of 62 997Ha (1 637 farmers) is awaiting completion of the contracting process as farmers’ details are being verified and captured by CBZ while co-ordinates have been captured for 61 358 hectares,” said Agritex.
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“Some farmers who had been registered under the CBZ agroyield programme were reassigned to the Presidential scheme since the Command Programme had registered more than 60 000 hectares already,” said the report.
Farmers were urged to complete land preparations as they wait for inputs. A total of 11 065 hectares have been contracted by private players under wheat while 7 005 hectares under barley. Zimbabwe Farmers Union director Mr Paul Zachariah said the planted hectarage was much higher than 4 000 hectares. “Of course, inputs distribution is still ongoing and planting can continue into the final week of May. We urge the contractors to speed up inputs distribution so that farmers do not miss out on the optimum planting window. “We also continue to pin our hopes on the availability of power throughout the wheat and barley production period. Power interruptions will
www.afriagrimagazine.com | July-September Issue 2021
