Govt assesses crop situation

THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement has embarked on national crop assessment for the 2017-18 summer cropping season.

In an interview, Midlands Provincial Crop and Livestock officer Mrs Madeline Magwenzi said teams have been dispatched to all farming districts in the country to assess the crop situation.

Mrs Magwenzi said the teams would soon compile the information and forward it to the Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister, who would make a public announcement of the crop situation.

“We are conducting a crop assessment countrywide. Teams have been deployed to all districts assessing the crop. As we speak I am in Mberengwa where I am monitoring the assessment process.

“After the assessment, we will compile the information and submit it to our minister, who will then inform the public on the crop situation in the country,” she said.

Mrs Magwenzi said the rains that the country recently received were timely because they helped crops that were at vegetation stage to mature.

A snap survey by The Herald across the province established that more than 60 percent of the crop was still in a good condition and farmers could salvage better yields.

Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister, Davis Marapira said recently the country could salvage better yields from the rains received in February.

“We are conducting a crop assessment to see the state of the crop in the country. We know that the dry spell affected most of the crops, but the rains that the country is receiving could help the crop, which is at vegetation stage and farmers could salvage good harvests.

“If farmers apply their top dressing fertiliser we could get a better yield,” he said.