ZIMBABWE has recorded another milestone after Government confirmed that farmers had harvested 411 838 tonnes of wheat from 77 192 hectares as of Friday, eclipsing last year’s record haul of 375 000 tonnes.Local demand presently stands at 360 000 tonnes.
Preliminary indications show that most of the crop is of premium grade.The latest development — confirmed in the latest weekly advisory report from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development — reinforces Zimbabwe’s position of being the only wheat-sufficient country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Last week, Cabinet indicated that the country was sitting on more than 198 000 tonnes of the crop, enough to last up to nine months.Harvesting of this year’s winter wheat crop is set to be completed today, amid high expectations that this year’s output will ultimately surpass the targeted 440 000 tonnes.The 77 192 hectares that has been harvested so far are 86 percent of the total 90 192 hectares — another record that was planted this year.To expedite harvesting before the onset of the rains, Government deployed 249 state-of-the-art combine harvesters acquired under the Belarus Phase 1 and Phase 2 farm mechanisation scheme.
Weather forecasts show that effective rains are expected in most parts of the country this week.In an interview, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development chief director for agricultural engineering, mechanisation, post-harvesting agro-processing and soil conservation, Engineer Edwin Zimunga, said: “Wheat harvesting is almost complete across the country.
“Our technical teams are on the ground, compiling our updated report.
“The figures we currently have do not reflect the actual situation on the ground because each day is seeing more hectares being harvested.
“We were expecting to complete harvesting on Sunday (today), but we have a few farmers remaining who will complete in a few days.”
Deployment of advanced mechanisation equipment, he said, made this year’s harvesting seamless.
“Government’s interventions have greatly helped improve wheat production, and the investment in combine harvesters has carried the day.
“The flagship GS12 combine harvester is doing at least 40ha per day, all thanks to the Belarus mechanisation programme,” said Eng Zimunga.
In 2018, President Mnangagwa secured high-tech farm mechanisation equipment from Belarus at concessional rates, which saw the country take initial delivery of 60 combine harvesters.Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said harvesting was progressing smoothly.
“Harvesting started a few weeks ago and is almost complete,” said Dr Makombe.
Earlier this year, President Mnangagwa, whose policies have been premised on achieving household and national food security, indicated that Zimbabwe would soon be exporting the cereal.
