FARMERS have missed the May 15, 2018 winter wheat planting deadline as well as its extension to May 31, raising fears that the country will need to import more wheat in 2019.
The missed deadlines mean that wheat production for 2018 has been compromised because planting after May results in a loss of about 50 kilogrammes per hectare since the crop will mature well after the winter season.
Although planting may be extended in the first week of June, experts, however, say it is a huge gamble and may not yield the expected result.
“We have, over a long time, extended winter wheat establishment to end of May and even to the first week of June. However, optimum performance is achieved if the crop is established within that optimum period.
“In some seasons we got away with it while we burnt our fingers in some due to first summer rains damage, some sort of gambling,” Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Wonder Chabikwa (pictured) said.
The sector had targeted 90 000 hectares, with a yield of four to five tonnes per hectare.
Last year, about 37 000 hectares of wheat were planted against a target of 60 000 hectares. This was an increase from 14 000 hectares planted in the 2016/17 season and 10 000 hectares previously.
Most farmers missed the winter wheat planting deadline after failing to harvest their summer crop in time to make way for the winter wheat crop.
The same problems experienced last year have extended into 2018, with farmers failing to harvest their crop in time.
“The delay in planting has been caused by different challenges faced by farmers such as the delayed harvesting of the summer crop and machinery breakdowns,” Chabikwa said.
Farmers also highlighted that combine harvesters were in short supply, further delaying harvesting.
“As the season progresses, combine harvesters will need to be available to harvest the late planted crop,” Chabikwa added.
The challenges are likely to see the country facing another year of record wheat imports.
The baking industry imports over 85 percent of the country’s wheat requirements annually, with the bill for the imports topping $100 million every year.
According to the USDA Global Agricultural Information Network, Grain and Feed Annual Report, between October 2016 and March 2017, Zimbabwe imported 150 511 tonnes of wheat mainly from Poland, Russia, Canada and South Africa.
Last week, millers announced that they will import 200 000 tonnes of wheat from Canada to cover the current deficit.
Daily bread production is estimated at about 850 000 loaves and millers say monthly wheat consumption is about 25 000 tonnes.
The country’s peak wheat production occurred during the 1990s. In 1990, 1999 and 2001, annual wheat production reached 325 000 tonnes, 342 000 tonnes and 325 000 tonnes respectively
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