Staff Reporter

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Development Dr John Basera said Zimbabwe was set to achieve 380 000 tonnes of wheat, setting the tone for the biggest harvest since the start of wheat growth in 1966.

Dr Basera said this while addressing at the Presidential Winter Wheat Field Day, in Mazowe.

According to Dr Basera, Zimbabwe is expected to harvest 380 000 tonnes from 79 000 hectares of land utilised for the winter wheat cropping this year. Zimbabwe currently requires 360 000 tonnes for consumption annually and this harvest achievement means the country will have a surplus of 20 000 tonnes into the next farming season.

“This year we are expecting 380 000 tonnes from 79 000 hectares of winter wheat, so this implies that there is a surplus this year. This is an amazing harvest. There was a great improvement in load shedding and uninterrupted water supply.

“In 2020, we managed to do 45 000 hectares, a rise from where we were in the past. In 2021, we did 66 000 hectares,” said Dr Basera.

The Second Republic has since introduced incentives in United States Dollars (USD) plus local currency payment to farmers upon delivery as a way of boosting their moral and capacity. Government has also put in place measures that ensure power cuts are minimised to wheat farmers as they require electricity for irrigation.

The Government is seized with the construction of Gwayi-Shangani dam and Semwa dam among others, in order to augment water supply to farmers. A Presidential borehole drilling scheme is currently being undertaken by the District Development Fund (DDF) and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) as a measure to improve water sources in Zimbabwe.

The Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP) has become a vital cog in creating road linkage between markets and the farmers.

Meanwhile, Dr Basera has attributed the boom in wheat deliveries to sound agricultural policies which are being implemented by the Second Republic.