Seed houses asked to reduce seed prices

Brighton Chiseva

Zaka – Representatives of seed houses who attended the district’s Agricultural Show held at Ferry Training Centre last week were asked to slash the price of locally-manufactured seeds which have been discovered to be unreasonably higher than the price of imported seeds.

The guest of honor, Phillip Mauta who is the deputy president of Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) and president of the Masvingo Show Society; urged Seed Co, Pannar and Pioneer to donate seeds to able-bodied people who can put it to good use.

“Prices of locally-produced seeds are higher than South African seeds and we wonder if that is justifiable,” said Mauta.

He urged farmers to exhibit goods they would have produced themselves not to buy goods to bring to the show, saying the purpose of the show was to display achievement and inspire new effort.

Zaka Central legislator Paradzai Chakona encouraged farmers to move with time and adopt modern farming techniques while focusing on smaller pieces of land which they can effectively manage.

“It’s a waste of time to focus on vast pieces of land that you can’t feed;  better to focus on a smaller one that you can work on,” said Chakona.

Chakona donated some farming equipment to the show and said government had a plan to assist seed house modify their seeds.

A total of 831 exhibits were brought to the show with 732 being farm produce and the remainder being livestock and home industry.

The overall winner for field crops, Sylvia Mudzingwa and the best exhibitor, Getrude Hokoyo walked away with drip irrigation kits while the overall winner in home industry, Jerina Narwo went home with a Kitchen Dish and a solar.

Musiso High School was the only school at the show and had 56 exhibits with 45 being home industry.

The show had eight local judges and two externals from Bikita.news