Wheat hectarage increases 53pc

The almost 62 000 hectares of this year’s planted winter wheat crop is 53 percent more than that of last year, a step towards self-sufficiency.

Zimbabwe requires 360 000 tonnes of wheat each year, mainly for flour and bread.

The bulk of the planting has been done under the Government guaranteed CBZ Agro-Yield programme, but almost 15 400 hectares was funded by private contractors, three percent over the target, and almost 4 500 hectares through the Presidential Winter Wheat Scheme.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing last week, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Minister Dr Anxious Masuka updated Cabinet on the status of the 2021 winter wheat production season and developments in the agricultural marketing season.

“A total of 4 467,9 hectares have been planted under the Presidential Wheat Scheme, while the Command/CBZ Agro-Yield Scheme has planted 41 935,7 hectares this year, an increase of 25 percent from the 33 603 hectares planted last year.

“The private sector has contracted 15 397,76 hectares, three percent above the targeted 15 000 hectares.”

Last season, farmers grew enough wheat to cover nine months domestic demand, a major jump, with GMB receiving 156 144 tonnes from the farmers it had contracted and around 95 000 tonnes grown by the rest of the wheat farmers to give a total harvest of over 250 000 tonnes.

Government has since set a target of 340 000 tonnes of wheat for the coming winter cropping season, making it likely that for the first time since commercial wheat farming started in the 1960s, Zimbabwe might meet self-sufficiency levels.-herald.cl.zw