‘Mash East crop, livestock condition fairly good’

The crop and livestock situation in Mashonaland East is fairly good, although some parts of the province were affected by the dry spell, Provincial Agricultural Technician and Extension Services officer Mr Leonard Munamati has said.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Munamati said the crops that were suffering from moisture stress were likely to recover since the country had started receiving meaningful rains.

“With the rains that we have started receiving, we are confident that the moisture-stressed crops will recover and we are expecting good yields,” he said.

“However, we urge farmers to regularly weed their crops so that the weeds do not compete with the moisture-stressed crops.

“Farmers should also continue to be on the lookout for the fall armyworm. The pest must be controlled during the early days of its life to reduce the rate of recurrence. If left to grow, it would require more chemicals to control.

“The condition of livestock is fairly good as well, although we encourage farmers to regularly dip their cattle to prevent tick-borne diseases. If they suspect any diseases, they must immediately seek assistance from veterinary offices so that the animals can be attended to on time.”

Meanwhile, Government has embarked on a nationwide crop assessment to determine the state of the crop and livestock, total crop area and availability of pastures and water.