Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE has more than doubled the area planted under winter wheat this year compared to the same time last year with a total of 47 519 hectares having been planted so far.

The Government is targeting to plant a total of 92 000ha this winter season comprising 85 000ha for wheat and 7 000ha for barley.

In a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet considered and approved a progress report on the 2021 winter wheat and barley planting and summer crops marketing season presented by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka.

“Government advises that as at 5 June 2021, a total of 47 519ha had been planted with wheat, more than double the area planted at the same time last year.

“The planting deadline has been extended to 15 June 2021 from 10 June and the seeding rate increased from 125 to 150 kilogrammes per hectare.

“It is estimated that with this extension, 70 000 to 75 000ha of wheat will be planted, translating to an estimated total production of 315 000 to 337 500 tonnes,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said 10 000ha will be put under the Presidential Wheat Scheme, Command/CBZ Agro-Yield (10 000ha), the private sector (15 000ha) and Delta (7 000ha under barley).

“It is advised that 9 796ha have been identified under the Presidential Wheat Scheme as at 3 June 2021, while a total of 65 623ha (1 361 farmers) have been contracted under the Command/CBZ Agro-Yield Programme,” she said.

Concerning the marketing of grain, Minister Mutsvangwa said Government was pleased to report that deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board were generally firm with 88 307 tonnes of maize, 7 534 tonnes of soyabeans, 7 523 tonnes of traditional grains, 215 tonnes of premium grade wheat and 367 tonnes of ordinary grade wheat having been received as at 5 June 2021.

Total grain received as at June 6, 2021 is 130 000 tonnes.

“Similarly, daily tobacco sales volumes are very high, with a total of 135 477 886kg valued at US$366 535 787 having been traded as at 3 June, 2021.

“At the same time last year, 104 629 191kg worth US$245 555 772 had been sold. About 43 percent of tobacco sales were through the decentralised selling points, while 93 percent of the tobacco has been sold under contract.”

Meanwhile, the 2021 cotton marketing season commenced on May 18 with a producer price of ZWL$85 per kg for seed cotton delivered to the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco).

“A price subsidy will be availed to Cottco only, for the Presidential Input Scheme, with part of the payment being in foreign currency at a rate of US$10 per bale.

“Deliveries across the provinces as at 3 June 2021 are as follows: Mashonaland Central 560,2 tonnes; Mashonaland East 360 tonnes, Manicaland 764 tonnes, Masvingo 5 808,6 tonnes, Mashonaland West 6 256,4 tonnes and Midlands 2 912,2 tonnes,” she said. — @okazunga