Agriculture productivity remains solid despite global economic pressure
Hosia Mviringi
Zimbabwe`s agricultural productivity has remained upstanding despite an array of local and global challenges which could have derailed processes.
Despite an uneven rainfall distribution which dogged the 2021/2022 season, Zimbabwe recorded strong grain figures.
This was revealed in a post Cabinet Statement released to the press on Tuesday Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa.
“Grain intake as at June 22, 2022 stood at 20626 metric tonnes. The value of grain delivered so far is ZWL$1.8 billion and US$2.12 million with ZWL$748million and US$2million having already been paid to farmers,” said Minister Mutsvangwa in a statement.
It is however anticipated that grain deliveries will peak between July and September before declining.
With regards to Wheat production, Government hopes that the country this year attains self-sufficiency when considering the amount of work already put up.
According to Minister Mutsvangwa, Minister of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Anxious Jongwe Masuka reported to Cabinet that the country had managed to achieve its set hectare target for the 2022 winter wheat crop.
“Regarding the 2022 winter wheat production, the nation is informed that the target was to plant 75 000 hectares and produce 383 000 metric tonnes, which will be sufficient to meet the country’s needs.
Despite challenges with the late start of the winter season due to a delayed summer rainfall season, the area planted to date is 100 per cent of the target,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
The attainment of grain self-sufficiency has never been more critical for Zimbabwe, especially now when the world’s biggest grain exporting region of Eastern Europe is experiencing supply disruptions due to the Russo-Ukraine conflict.
Thus any increase in staple grain production can only come as sweet news to the Southern African country which has become a net importer not only for grains but also for inflation.
Government has also assured the nation that there are enough farming inputs to carry through the targeted winter wheat hectare.
“Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that there are enough fertiliser and chemicals to support winter wheat production. Some 100 megawatts of electricity supply have been ring fenced for farmers and are exempt from load shedding, while Petrotrade has availed 750 000 litres of file to be distributed through the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA). Adequate measures have been put in place to control quelea birds,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The tobacco marketing season has so far been progressing well recording better volumes and prices than the previous marketing season.
“Pertaining to tobacco marketing, a total of 152 million kilograms valued at US$456.47 million has been sold to date. The average price at the Auction floors stands at US$3.19/Kg compared to US$2.18/kg in 2021.
Tobacco merchants have exported 75 300 000 pkg of tobacco valued at US$359 934 000 compared to 65 000 000 kg worth US$258 725 000 exported during the same period last year.”
The country is targeting to produce 275 million kilograms of tobacco on 135 000 hectares of land, with 96 per cent of this target being under contract farming in the 2022/2023 season.
The golden leaf is one of Zimbabwe’s star earners of foreign currency, making it a strategic crop in the same manner as staple grains.
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