…Masvingo province kick start winter wheat farmers’ registration
Rutendo Chirume
With the tobacco season closing up, tobacco farmers have been roped into wheat growing in order to increase the hectrage as well as the output as the country prepares for 2022 winter wheat production.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa announced the new developments during a post cabinet briefing on March 29 and said the country has enough inputs for winter wheat farming and tobacco farmers assimilation into wheat growing will boost supply of the cereal in order to have sufficient domestic stocks.
“Pertaining to wheat, cabinet reports that in order to increase the hectarage under wheat as well as increase the output, tobacco farmers will be roped in to grow the crop. The transition to winter wheat by tobacco farmers is a welcome move and will go a long way in boosting supply of the cereal so that we have sufficient domestic stocks. Cabinet is pleased to report that the country has sufficient fertilizers for winter-wheat farming. Efforts are also being made to guarantee fertilizer supplies for the summer season,” said Mutsvangwa.
On that note Masvingo Provincial Crop and Livestock Officer Aaron Muchazivepi announced that winter wheat farming processes had started and currently farmers are expected to start registering with Agritex in order to get help in terms of inputs and other financial help.
“We are looking forward to start winter wheat season in Masvingo and all farmers with enough water bodies are encouraged to register with Agritex in order to get production input and support. We also have the presidential input scheme which will help the youth and small scale farmers with fertilizers, seed and chemicals needed. National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Support Scheme will focus on commercially based farmers on irrigation facilities. Interested farmers should also fill forms for Agricultural Finance Cooperation at CBZ in order to get financial support and other inputs needed,” said Muchazivepi.
He emphasized early winter wheat planting and said all farmers in irrigation schemes with fallow land should revive them and prioritize it for wheat farming.
“All farmers in irrigation schemes who have fallow land should prioritize it into wheat planting .Those farmers who still have crops in their irrigation schemes should also clear them so that we can start preparing for wheat planting because we want to do early planting. Even those farmers who cannot remove their crops because they are not yet dry should go to GMB Masvingo Depot and get a drier there which they can use to dry their crops because by April 7 all farmers who want to do wheat farming are expected to have cleared their farms. By May 15 we want to have finished with wheat planting for this season,” he said.
Last year Masvingo province managed to plough 2000 hectares of wheat in total.
