Bumper wheat harvest beckons

MANICALAND is on track to produce a record wheat harvest this year as the Pfumvudza programme and the Presidential Inputs Scheme has built resilience of farmers.

The programmes were strategically designed to support farmers to meet national food requirements, fill up strategic grain reserves and save foreign currency.

This season, the province planted 10 000 hectares with a projected wheat output of 55 000 metric tonnes.

The province’s improved perfomance was made possible by the Government-sponsored input programmes.

These interventions have been applauded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for effectively building farmers’ resilience and enhancing national food security.

The record wheat production will enhance self-sufficiency of the cereal crop and eliminate dependence on imports, given the prevailing global supply disruptions and uncertainties created by the ongoing skirmishes in Eastern Europe.

The cereal crop will be purchased by Government through the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

Government has set the producer price of premium wheat at $268 048 plus US$200, while the BS, U1 and 2 price has been set at $243 680 plus US$200 per tonne.

Last season, Manicaland slightly missed its target of 9 300ha and planted 8 722ha — with an output of 44 000 metric tonnes.

Makoni District planted about 60 percent of the provincial target, with the remainder divided between Mutasa, Nyanga, Mutare, Chipinge and Chimanimani.

Wheat harvesting started early this month, with 16 combine harvesters mobilised from private owners and the AFC Leasing Company.

The combine harvesters are currently busy in the fields, working round the clock to beat the onset of the summer season.

Acting Manicaland provincial director, Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS), Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said harvesting is being fast tracked to beat the onset of the rains.

“As of Monday, we had harvested 3 715ha, with an average yield of five tonnes per hectare. Some commercial farmers are recording a yield between seven and nine metric tonnes per hectare. This will push the province’s wheat output up,” said Mrs Rwambiwa.

“Harvesting is progressing well, but we expect demand for combine harvesters to increase as we draw closer to the onset of the rains. Farmers will ordinarily queue up to clear their crop from the fields before the rains,” said Mrs Rwambiwa.

Wheat is sensitive to moisture as wet conditions reduce the cereal’s baking quality.

lt also leads to problems with mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds produced when grain molds.

Provincial mechanisation engineer, Mr Nhlanhla Magama said it costs about US$80 to harvest a hectare of wheat,.

Farmers in Middle Sabi are expecting a bumper harvest of the winter wheat crop after implementing effective measures to control quelea birds.

The birds had become a menace as they invaded the wheat fields and threatened to reduce the yield.

Middle Sabi Farmers’ Association chairperson, Mr Skhumbuzo Thondhlana said they are expecting improved yields this year.

He commended Government’s mechanisation drive, adding that combine harvesters are readily available, while plans are afoot to import more tractors.

Wheat farmers, Mr Gijima Msindo of Gijima Farm in Headlands said he planted 130ha, with the quality of his crop pointing towards a bumper harvest.

Mr Msindo applauded Government for availing inputs on time and allowing wheat farmers, whose operations consume a lot of electricity, to use a stop order facility that allows them to pay their electricity bills upon delivering their produce to the GMB.

“I can attain a maximum yield of between seven and nine tonnes per hectare and I am just praying that I will harvest my crop before the onset of the rains,” said Mr Msindo.

A bumper wheat harvest will put the nation on course to achieving this year’s national target of 340 000 tonnes of wheat, up from the 160 000 tonnes attained last year.