Manicaland Bureau
Farmers in Middle Sabi are expecting a bumper sugar bean harvest owing to an extended spell of cold weather, which is ideal for the production of the crop.

Middle Sabi, a large irrigated area on exceptionally fertile land in south-west Chipinge District, has A1 and A2 farmers.

This year, at least 600 hectares has been put under sugar beans.

Middle Sabi farmers’ syndicate chairman Mr Sikhumbuzo Thondlana said 300 hectares had been put under sugar bean by A1 farmers, with 100ha being contracted by Seed Co while the rest is self-funded.

Another 300 hectares are being grown by A2 farmers.

“This season we anticipate a bumper harvest because of the extended cold weather spell we are expecting. We are looking forward to a yield of 3 tonnes per hectare, which is better than last year when we got an average of 2 tonnes per hectare,” he said.

Farmers have in the past complained about siltation of Save River, which resulted in less water to irrigate their crops.

Water for irrigating the plantations is drawn from Save River into the canal before farmers pump it into their fields.

Mr Thondlana said this was not a problem anymore as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority had attended to the problem.

“Zinwa has de-silted the sump where we pump water from the river so that they can extract water into the canal so everything is going smoothly now,” he said.