Farmers have been urged to start preparing for the summer cropping season as rains are expected to start next month

FARMING inputs will be timely released to farmers as Government wants to take advantage of the normal to above normal rains expected this forthcoming cropping season to boost production, a Cabinet Minister said.

In an interview, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said since the Meteorological Service Department (MSD) has predicted good rains, Government will strive to avail inputs on time.

The country and the rest of the Sadc region is expected to receive good rains in the coming season which starts next month.

The country also received normal to above normal rains in the 2020/21 rainy season which resulted in the country producing a bumper harvest that has enhanced food security.

Zimbabwe this year saved at least US$300 million after it suspended the importation of grain.

“I’m smiling, when you are the Minister of Finance and there is a good rainy season you ought to smile because it means there will be higher levels of productivity. There will be less to import and that is what it really means to us.

We are going to release the inputs on time to support our farmers so that they take advantage of th early rains,” said Prof Ncube.

He said two successive good seasons was a positive development for the country’s economy which was agro-based.

“Trust me on providing inputs and ensuring that all other farmer support schemes have adequate resources. We definitely need another bumper harvest  that will boost our economy. That means we can risk manage any climate shocks at least in the next couple of years,” said Minister Ncube.

Government supports nearly 15 000 commercial farmers through Command Agriculture and more than 2,8 million smallholder farmers through the President Input Support Scheme.

The good rains in the 2020/21 season coupled with Government supportive programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, Presidential Input Scheme, National Enhanced Crop Productivity Scheme or Command Agriculture, Irrigation, the Livestock Growth Plan and Farm Mechanisation Programme contributed to the higher yields realised last season.

The country is expecting 2,8 million tonnes of maize to be delivered to the Grain Marketing Board this year against the annual cereal requirement of 1,8 million tonnes.

Farmers have been urged to start preparing for the summer cropping season as rains are expected to start next month.

Matabeleland North Provincial Agritex officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said farmers should start the preparations including those that have adopted the Intwasa climate-proof farming. — @nqotshili