Why some farmers, traders succeed by listening to own advice

Why some farmers, traders succeed by listening to own advice December 7, 2016 in Business An increase in advice from diverse sources is becoming counter-productive for smallholder farmers in many developing countries. BY CHARLES DHEWA Besides over-saturation, there is no shortage of conflicting advice. Many farmers are wondering why they are being blamed for not taking farming …

Met Office warns of heavy rains soon

Met Office warns of heavy rains December 7, 2016 Local News Samantha Chigogo: Herald Correspondent Zimbabweans should brace for heavy rains with thunderstorms expected in northern parts of the country, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has said.Although there have been significant rains and storms in some parts of the country, the erratic nature of the rains has …

Tobacco harvesting, curing begins

Tobacco harvesting, curing begins December 6, 2016 Business Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business ReporterHARVESTING and curing of the early planted tobacco across the country has begun with farmers impressed by the quality of their crop. However, hailstorms that hit some parts of the country in the past few days has negatively affected the crop that was still in …

Hailstorm leaves trail of destruction

Hailstorm leaves trail of destruction December 6, 2016 Local News Agronomist Mr Ivan Craig assesses damage to a maize crop which was destroyed by a hailstorm at Sherwood block, Kwekwe on Sunday Patrick Chitumba, Midlands ReporterFARMERS at Sherwood Block, Kwekwe lost about 350 hectares of crops, following a hailstorm that hit the area on Sunday afternoon. The …

US$95 million boost for Tokwe-Mukorsi

  US$95m boost for Tokwe-Mukosi  BUSINESS REPORTER 1 DAY AGO Livingstone Marufu —GOVERNMENT has provided US$95 million to guarantee the completion of Tokwe-Mukosi dam by year end, which is expected to transform Masvingo province into an industrial hub supporting key sectors such agriculture, tourism and energy. The imposing man-made water body, with the capacity to …

Zim imports food, beverages worth $64m in Oct

Zim imports food, beverages worth $64m in Oct December 5, 2016 in Business ZIMBABWE imported food and beverages worth $64 million in the month of October 2016, a clear indication that the country is losing millions of dollars following the collapse of the agricultural sector in the late 1990s. BY MTHANDAZO NYONI Figures released by the Zimbabwe …

Zim to sign maize importation deal

Zim to sign maize importation deal December 2, 2016 Business Maize Business Reporter— Zimbabwe will, by next week, sign a 100 000 tonnes maize importation deal with Mexico following successful negotiations with the central American country’s agriculture minister held in South Africa last Saturday.This year, Zimbabwe is the biggest buyer of Mexican maize, having already imported …

Crop insurance to manage tobacco farming risks

Crop insurance to manage tobacco farming risks December 1, 2016 Features, Opinion & Analysis Buhle Nkomo —Rains are sometimes accompanied by hailstorm and lightning and these are major concerns for tobacco farmers as they can be very destructive. Hailstorm is a solid precipitation that can wreak havoc on the tobacco leaves while lightning is a sudden …

Perceptions of donkeys need change

Perceptions of donkeys need change December 1, 2016 Features, Opinion & Analysis Despite the increase in mechanisation, donkeys are still well deserving of the name “beasts of burden”, as they play an important role in carrying loads in rural areas Sifelani Tsiko Syndication Writer— Zimbabweans need to change their attitudes towards donkeys and embrace the protection and …

Why small grains must be part of command agric

Why small grains must be part of command agric December 1, 2016 Features, Opinion & Analysis Charles Dhewa Review Correspondent —While climate change-induced erratic rainfall patterns are making the production of most famous crops difficult, small grains such as sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet are quietly becoming part of mainstream food systems in Zimbabwe. Almost every …