THE Midlands Province has surpassed its target hectarage under the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme and is expecting a good yield this season.

The province had a target of 13 680ha on Intwasa/Pfumvudza but surpassed to 20 500ha translating to 150 percent achievement.

As for conventional farming, the province had a target of 295 680ha but has since done 256 500ha, which is 87 percent achievement of the target leaving the province on a good footing to attain a bumper harvest.

The province also surpassed its targeted households trained on the Intwasa/Pfumvudza scheme after 311 892 households received training against a targeted 275 000.

A total of 285 482 households received inputs while the province recorded 100 percent in training and adoption of the concept.

As at 2 February, the province had received an average of 1 120.38mm as compared to 374,25mm received by the same time during the 2019/20 summer farming season.

Midlands Provincial Crop and Livestock Officer, Mrs Medline Magwenzi, said farmers were eager following two consecutive years of drought.

“The crop is looking good at early vegetable stage in clay/red sand loamy manured soils across the province. The rural and urban crop all looks good after fertilisation.

“Surely this is a better season and promising a bumper harvest in the province,” said Mrs Magwenzi.

She, however, said a fair share of crops had been affected by incessant rains especially in areas with sandy soils, which are prevalent in areas like Gweru, Mvuma, Shurugwi, Zvishavane and some parts of Kwekwe.

“Due to the nature of soils structure a lot of leaching, washing away of crops and water logging prevailed. Some of these farmers had to replant and some had all the nutrients washed away. Some farmers in clay soils also experienced water logging,” she said.

Mrs Magwenzi urged farmers under such conditions to construct contour ridges in their fields so as to channel access water out of the fields.

The farmers, she said, were eager that rains stop so that they can apply fertilisers.

“Basically, with adequate top-dressing fertilisers and the amount of crop grown already, if the season progresses well, farmers will realise good harvests.

“We are very optimistic about it and hopeful because farmers worked so hard this season doing Intwasa/Pfumvudza hence should harvest in a big way,” she said.