Story by Mercy Bofu-Matinha
WHEAT farmers have been called upon to continue maintaining the best agronomic management practices by working with extension officers to ensure maximum yields this season.
Farmers at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme in Masvingo are among those who planted their wheat early this winter season and their crop is now at the vegetative stage.
Out of their 300-hectare winter wheat project this season, they are expecting a bumper harvest given the support they are getting from government.
“We managed to plant early here at Mushandike and our crop is now at a vegetative stage. All this is because the government assisted in rehabilitating this scheme and we were supported through inputs and technical assistance, if all goes well, we are expecting a yield of four tonnes per hectare this season,” said farmers at the Scheme
Senior Agronomist, Mr Irvin Craig, who is also ARDA Board Chairperson, urged wheat farmers to now focus on fertiliser application, irrigation scheduling, and pest control to ensure maximum yields.
“We have seen that most of the wheat has already germinated now we need to make sure we come in with fertiliser, control your weeds, and maintain your irrigation cycle working with extension officers to ensure we maintain a good harvest this season,” he said.
Speaking after touring Mushandike Irrigation Scheme over the weekend, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said the country is well on course to achieve a bumper wheat harvest this season.
“Today we are touring a successful winter wheat project here at Mushandike Irrigation in Masvingo. Masvingo province planted 4 000 hectares this season and here we are seeing the fruits of early planting and good agronomic practices and we are on the way to transforming this biggest irrigation scheme to becoming a commercially viable, sustaining scheme,” said the minister.
This season, close to 122 000 hectares of wheat have been planted across the country, surpassing the targeted 120 000 hectares, with most of the early planted crop now at the vegetative stage, while the late-planted one is germinating.
