Time to focus on weeds, pest control, farmers told

FARMERS have been advised that the planting window period is over and they should now focus on applying the best agronomic practices such as the control of weeds and pests and making sure they conserve moisture.

Acting Director for Crops Production, Mr Leonard Munamati said temperatures in most parts of the country are starting to drop and farmers are no longer encouraged to continue to plant.

“We would like to advise farmers that the planting window for most crops such as maize, traditional grain, soya beans, cotton, tobacco, and groundnuts is now over,” he said in an update.

“The planting season is over because the heat unit is a very important determinant of yield in plant production. When it becomes much colder, the crop will not be able to accumulate enough heat units that are required to produce yields.

Temperatures are starting to go down and we are no longer encouraging farmers to plant.”

Mr Munamati noted that crops such as tobacco are governed by regulations and this year the Government extended the tobacco seedlings’ destruction date to January 15 and we are already past that date.

“Farmers should now shift focus to best agronomic practices such as control of weeds and pests and making sure they conserve moisture,” he added.

The Government is targeting cereal production of 3 775 72 tonnes — with maize accounting for 3 060 000 tonnes and 715 728 tonnes of traditional grains, which is enough for human cereal consumption requirements, as well as industrial use and livestock feeds.

This will guarantee national food and nutrition security, as well as adequate household nourishment with some left overs for sale.

In one of its state of preparedness for the 2023/24 season, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s report indicated that focus was on increased productivity with the target areas for the major crops meant to grow 10 percent.

Since the coming in of the Second Republic, agriculture has been a top priority with President Mnangagwa continuously calling for increased production and productivity.

Consequently, Zimbabwe surpassed its agriculture target of US$8 billion way ahead of schedule prompting the target to be reviewed to US$13,75 billion by 2025.

Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe has witnessed successive wheat production records as well as records in tobacco and maize production.

Government has seen to it that local farmers are supported through various schemes and ensured that private player participation increased.

President Mnangagwa has put it on the record that the Land Reform Programme is irreversible and this has been backed by success on the ground.-chronicle