‘3 million tonnes maize harvest attainable’

THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) says prospects for a bumper maize harvest this farming season are high as most parts of the country continue to receive good rains.

Zimbabwe has set a target of three million tonnes of maize this cropping season which is enough to meet its annual consumption.

The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has made food security a top priority hence the many support schemes meant to assist farmers to boost production.

President Mnangagwa

The agriculture sector has already surpassed the US$8,2 billion agriculture industry economy target which the country intended to achieve by 2025.

Agriculture is one of the key sectors expected to drive economic transformation towards the attainment of an upper-middle-class society by 2030.

In an interview, acting provincial director for Agricultural Rural Development and Advisory Services in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North, Mr Dumisani Nyoni, said the good rains countrywide are expected to boost yields.

Mr Dumisani Nyoni

“The crops in most areas are good and hopes are high that the three million tonnes of maize target will be achieved,” said Mr Nyoni.

The country requires 2,2 million tonnes of maize for both human and livestock consumption.-chronicle

Cottco to set up investment projects
22 FEB, 2023 – 00:02 0 VIEWS 0 COMMENTS

Cottco to set up investment projects
Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha
THE Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) is planning to set-up oil expressing plants within cotton growing areas.

Cottco acting accounting officer, Mr Munyaradzi Chikasha, said the oil processing plant project is expected to generate additional revenue, create employment and support the Government’s devolution strategy.

“It will also provide cooking oil and stock feed to the surrounding communities at affordable prices,” he said.

Mr Chikasha said Cottco had also identified a partner to construct a 1,2MW solar plant at its Muzarabani plant.

“This is part of our green energy thrust where we want to fully utilise the abundant solar energy that is within the Muzarabani area,” he said.

“We want to improve Cottco’s commercial viability and at the moment we believe we are on track.”

Meanwhile, Mr Chikasha said the cotton cropping season was promising as a total of 360 014 farmers with approximately 295 175 hectares had been contracted this year, compared to 201 821 hectares established at the same time in the 2021/22 season.

“The swift implementation of the Presidential Climate Proofed Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme continues to yield commendable results,” he said.

The Government introduced a number of farmer support programmes such as the Presidential Input Scheme and Pfumvudza/Intwasa through which farmers are given seed, fertilisers and chemicals for free, to boost production.

Pfumvudza/Intwasa

The introduction of support and competitive prices has seen many farmers returning to grow cotton after having abandoned it in favour of other cash crops such as tobacco, whose marketing was orderly and prices were profitable.

But despite the free inputs, the country recorded low seed cotton volumes last year which stood at 46 748 metric tonnes compared to 116 053 metric tonnes achieved same time during the 2020/21 season, owing to late effective rains, a dry spell and early unprecedented cool weather before the crop reached its full growth. — New Ziana