Crops are in good shape following the recent rains bringing renewed hope of decent harvests.
Crops in some areas were stressed before the turn of the New Year as a short dry spell affected some parts of the country, but the two spells of widespread rainfall since then have raised hopes of farmers.
The Meteorological Services Department said more rains were expected and the outlook is generally positive for the production of crops in all provinces this year.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZFCU) president Dr Shadreck Makombe said the crop situation was very good in most parts of the country.
“Crops are now growing; there is a positive hope among farmers, The recent rains had seen a great improvement on crops in most parts of the country. We are very happy as farmers about the current situation. At the moment we say we have received normal rainfall. It’s not too much or too low so we are still looking forward to continue receiving rainfall,” he said.
Dr Makombe urged any farmers wanting to add to their plantings to plant short season varieties at the moment adding that the season will be soon ending.
He also urged farmers to plant sugar beans and sunflower with their shorter seasons.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust president Mrs Depinah Nkomo said the current situation of all crops is pleasing and there is a possibility of bumper harvests following good rains that farmers are continuously receiving.
“We are very happy with the way we are receiving rainfall. Let’s apply fertilisers so that our crops grow well so that we produce good yields. If we continue to receive these rains, we can produce more than our targets.
“There has been an improvement in the crop status with established crops now at different stages of vegetative growth. Farmers should take advantage of the rains and apply fertilisers,” she said.
According to the latest weekly update from the Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS), farmers have so far planted 1,5 million hectares of maize compared to 1 million hectares planted last year.
Statistics also show that 34 000ha were so far put under soyabeans compared to 23 188ha last year, while 164 902ha were put under sorghum compared to 171 168ha last year.
About 109 093ha of pearl millet was so far planted compared to 86 363ha last year, 20 627ha was put under sunflower compared to 4 271ha, as that crop sees the most dramatic production growth, and 198 630ha of cotton was put compared to 177 275ha planted last year.
Statistics from the department also indicate that last week higher rainfall was recorded in the eastern half of the country with Nyanga recorded 98mm, Mukandi 88mm, Makuti 63mm and Chisengu 44mm.
It also stated that most of parts of the country have received more than 80mm since the start of the season.
The highest seasonal totals were recorded at Nyanga with 630mm, Mukandi 566mm, Chisengu 548 mm and Bikita 531mm. Lower seasonal totals are in the southeast and northeast.
Crops and livestock were also reported to be affected by the heavy rains in some parts of the country causing deaths of people and damage to infrastructure, but most farmers are happy with the rain.
The damage is largely due to modest flooding, lightning and high winds, and those affect buildings and trees far more than fields.
This was mainly due to floods, lightning, falling trees and collapse of infrastructure such as schools. – The Herald
