‘Enough inputs for winter wheat’
Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos
The Chronicle
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has set a target of 75 000 hectares of land to be put under winter wheat production this cropping season and has enough inputs to support farmers as it aims to ease spiking demand for the cash crop.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said the country has made adequate preparations for commencement of cropping and challenged farmers to rise to the occasion.
He said 60 000 hectares will be under Command Agriculture while 15 000 ha will be sponsored by the private sector under private, public partnerships (PPP).
The Deputy Minister said the country’s major sources of water had adequate inflows to irrigate the required hectares.
“Government says the country`s water bodies have enough water to sustain the target to be put under wheat this winter season.
“Wheat has always been a scarce commodity in Zimbabwe even prior to independence. So, what we have done this year is that we have a private, public partnership (PPP),” he said.
“We have 15 000 hectares that are being sponsored by the private sector, we have 60 000 hectares under the Command Agriculture programme. We have enough inputs. We have adequate seed, fertilizers and chemicals.”
Deputy Minister Haritatos said Government was looking forward to producing 70 percent of the country’s annual demand of wheat.
“So, in total we have 75 000 hectares that we are going to put under wheat production. If we do well on this we will produce more than 70 percent of the country’s annual demand of wheat. The deficit will be 30 percent. Our dams have sufficient water for our target hectarage,” he said.
Deputy Minister Haritatos said farmers should capitalise on the new producer price of wheat and maximize production. Cabinet has approved new producer price for maize and small grains set at RTGS$726 per tonne.
The price for wheat has also been set at RTGS$1 089.69, soya bean RTGS$918 and cotton at RTGS$1 950 per tonne.
He said if the country meets its wheat production target, it will reduce the import bill significantly as it will only import the 30 percent deficit.
“So we encourage farmers to take up what is being offered by Government and the private sector,” he said.