Business Reporter
WITH preparations for the upcoming winter wheat cropping season underway, farmers have said they are looking for input support from Government so as to ensure a good harvest.

The winter wheat season starts in earnest at the end of April yearly and farmers have already started working on the land, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) executive director, Mr Paul Zakariya, has said.

Government has this year targeted to put 80 000 hectares under winter wheat expected to yield about 400 000 tonnes.

Last week Finance and Economic Develolopment Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, indicated that up to ZW$2.5 billion has been set aside to support winter wheat farming and other productive sectors.

Mr Zakariya told Business Chronicle that as part of gearing for the winter wheat farming, farmers were at the moment busy in the fields harvesting crops planted during the summer cropping season.

“In terms of preparedness, farmers are now getting ready for winter wheat planting. Harvesting of cereals and legumes like maize and soya bean planted in the summer season begins from mid-March to end of April, and land preparation for winter wheat should be happening in the process,” he said.

The ZFU executive director said winter wheat planting should start towards the end of April until mid next month. In light of the prevailing economic conditions, Mr Zakariya said the farmers were relying more on Government support for the provision of inputs.

“Farmers will rely mostly on Government support because it will not be possible for anyone under these conditions to afford the inputs that are required.

“So, there is command support, which is going towards the planting of wheat that is covering well over 80 000ha of land,” he said.

Last year, Government availed US$120 million towards the procurement of critical inputs to support farmers under the 2019 winter wheat production.

The country set a target of 75 000ha during the last winter wheat season and anticipated high yields to improve domestic supply and cut the import bill.

Zimbabwe’s wheat demand rose from 400 000 tonnes in 2015 to 450 000 tonnes in 2018 due to the change in lifestyle and production of various food stuffs that need wheat.

Due to economic challenges, wheat production has remained subdued from a peak of about 325 000 tonnes in early 2000s.

For instance, in 2018 the country’s wheat output was about 160 000 tonnes and thus reflecting that Zimbabwe was less than 40 percent self-sufficient in the cereal’s production.