Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE Government has crafted a cocktail of measures meant to boost the winter wheat production for this season in a bid to reach the 85 000 hectare target.
It’s all systems to go for this winter wheat Agriculture season as the government aims at maintaining self-food sufficiency through expansive winter wheat farming.
The government targets to put 85 0000 hectares under wheat, a significant increase from the hectarage produced last year.
Ministry of Lands Agriculture Fisheries Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera who officiated at a field day in Kwekwe this Saturday says the target is achievable through a smooth seasonal transition.
“We are ready to achieve this feat. We are in the process of preparing for a transition from harvesting to winter wheat production. As such we are providing combine harvesters in every province so that farmers will not have a problem in doing their winter wheat production.
“The transition is one of the most critical components in winter wheat production. At policy level, we have also managed to engage ZESA to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to winter wheat blocks. We want to ensure that every irrigable land is put under wheat,” he said.
Farmers welcomed the measures crafted by the government as a step in the right direction to prevent challenges faced in the past.
The country anticipates producing 408 000 metric tonnes of wheat from the 85 000 hectares up from the 375 000 tonnes produced last year which is well above the 360 000 tonnes needed by the country for self-sufficiency.
