Govt targets record 120 000ha of winter wheat

SOME 120 000 hectares have been targeted for winter wheat this year with the harvest expected to reach 600 000 tonnes, well above the 468 000 tonnes produced from 91 000ha last year.

This is 240 000 tonnes above the minimum of 360 000 tonnes needed for self-sufficiency.

The Government wants to swap wheat surpluses for maize, or sell wheat and buy maize, both possible since Zimbabwe is one of just two African countries that is self-sufficient.

More importantly, Zimbabwe wants industry to include more wheat products into the average Zimbabwean kitchen.

Speaking after the signing of parastatal boards performance contracts in Harare yesterday, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said the Government would accelerate irrigation development so that more land was put under wheat this season to increase food security.

“Our focus is to maximise wheat production this year. As Zimbabwe, we have a comparable advantage in terms of wheat versus maize and sorghum and we produced wheat at an average last year of 5,2 tonnes per ha. We have identified 120 000 ha irrigable for wheat and produce around 600 000 tonnes which we could use in three ways.

“We can sell the wheat to generate revenue to purchase maize. We can use it as a swap arrangement if anyone wants our wheat and gives us maize but more importantly, we can also consume the wheat.

“This is the Government’s strategy to make sure that we are self-sufficient for the next harvest.

“We are also mindful of the 10 600 dams that we have, we are going to have an investment conference and mobilise additional resources to catalyse irrigation development until we get to 350 000ha,” he said.

Wheat stocks are currently at 244 705 tonnes with up to 105 800 tonnes required till the next harvest in September this year.

There at present consumption rates a carry over of 138 905 tonnes.

Dr Masuka said the scaling up of irrigation would boost agricultural production and counter the effects of climate change.

Zimbabwe has not been spared from the effects of climate change and is pushing hard on investment into irrigation infrastructure across the country.

Dr Masuka also urged stakeholders to implement strategies aimed at improving the country’s national herd by working on genetics and reducing livestock diseases. Zimbabwe intends to grow the country’s national herd to 11 million cattle by 2030 and this has seen the introduction of several programmes to support such an initiative.

At the same event, Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri urged stakeholders to work towards improving the country’s food security. Entities had to ensure the country had enough grain.

Zimbabwe National Farmers Union (ZNFU) president Mrs Monica Chinamasa said preparations for winter wheat should start now, adding that if farmers had financial assistance on time, the country was assured of another good wheat harvest.

“Water bodies and irrigation facilities are there. We are sure that farmers can make it again in wheat production if farmers get financial services. We can surpass last year’s results but we appeal to farmers to get their payments early so that it will not affect farmers’ operations,” she said.

Zimbabwe is one of the two African countries together with Ethiopia which is wheat self-sufficient and has been food secure on cereals for the past four seasons after the Government took deliberate steps to ramp up agricultural production.