Early Wheat Planting Starts Today

The National Wheat Contract (NWC) farming started planting wheat today. A total of 13 000 hectares have been allocated for wheat production. The target production is at least 150 000 tonnes.

The deputy chairman of the National Wheat Contract Farming Committee (NWCFC), Mr Graeme Murdoch indicated all inputs needed. He said:

Zimbabwe needs at least 270 000 tonnes of local wheat annually and approximately 130 000 tonnes of specific grade imported wheat to produce suitable bakers’ flour.

The El Nino affected 2018/2019 rainfall season has meant that the hectarage available for a winter programme has been reduced, particularly in the traditionally high producing areas of Mashonaland West and parts of Mashonaland Central.

We need around US$15 million to secure all the inputs required to plant and harvest 90 000 tonnes of wheat.

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Depending on the final producer price at harvest, we believe that farmers will earn at least RTGS$108 million from wheat from this initiative.

He further indicated that PHI Commodities, Northern Farming and Staywell have been contracted to implement the project. Murdoch said:

The three contractors have been an integral part of Government’s Command (Agriculture) programme for a few years and in an effort to ensure that as much wheat as possible is grown in 2019 they have committed to grow, between them, at least 15 000 hectares of winter wheat this season, to produce approximately 90 000 tonnes of wheat.

Zimbabwe currently faces huge wheat shortages.

Related: 

• Zim Wheat Production Declines

More: The Herald