Elita Chikwati, Harare Bureau
Preparations for the 2018 winter cropping season have started with farmers expressing concern that they may not be able to plant the required hectarage within the planting window.

Government has already started mobilising inputs to ensure early distribution to farmers and timely planting.

Lands, Agriculture and Irrigation Development Minister Perrance Shiri said this time around, farmers will access inputs for winter wheat early.

“Preparations for the 2018 season are at an advanced stage and Government has already mobilised half of the required inputs.

“We want to ensure inputs are distributed early to farmers. Now half of the wheat inputs have already been mobilised and we are waiting for the remaining amount,” he said.

Farmers are, however, worried that the 2018 winter cropping season may be affected by the late harvesting of 2017/18 season crops.

Most farmers plant wheat after harvesting their summer crops but this season most farmers are yet to start harvesting.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa, yesterday confirmed that the bulk of the summer crops were yet to get to maturity stage and this means harvesting was going to be delayed.

“The 2017/18 summer cropping season was delayed by the late onset of the rains and this will also affect the winter cropping programme.

“Most farmers do not have fallow land to make way for the winter crops. Most farmers had a late crop and the bulk of this crop is still at the milky stage while only a few have a crop that has reached hard milky stage. Some still have a crop that is at flowering stage,” he said.

Government has pledged to assist the Grain Marketing Board with driers this season.

Mr Chabikwa said this was a good initiative but the driers normally dry the crop from 20 percent to 12.5 percent.

“We are afraid the late rains will affect wheat production. Our aim as a country is to reduce the import bill by producing food on our own.

“For those farmers with irrigation facilities and fallow land can plant early and realise good yields,” he said.

The wheat planting deadline is May 15.

Zimbabwe had been a net wheat importer as farmers had abandoned the crop due to viability challenges.

Following the success of the Special Maize Programme (Command Agriculture) during the 2016-17 agriculture season, Government last year embarked on a Special Winter Wheat Production programme similar to that of maize in an endeavour to reduce wheat imports.

Zimbabwe requires about 450 000 tonnes for consumption.