Government is expecting a bumper harvest from this year’s winter wheat crops that are expected to last for three to four decades.
Addressing delegates during the Agro- processing business forum programme held in Harare yesterday, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka said the government is targeting 85 000 hectares of winter wheat, a move that was never seen in the history of Zimbabwe.
“We expect that will be able to produce 40 000 metric tans of wheat where he have never produce wheat before in irrigation schemes under the Presidential winter wheat scheme targeting 10 000 hactares, 60 ooo hectares under the Presidential command scheme under CBZ and the private sector wheat scheme for 15 hectares.
“This gives us 85 000 hectares under which we have never done in the history of this country. My expectation therefore is that for the first time will have sufficient wheat for this nation for three or four decades.” Dr Masuka said.
The Minister of Agriculture said his Ministry contracted 2,5 million households during the summer Pfumvunza Intwasa scheme.
“The Pfumvudza had 2 levels, the summer Pfumvudza Intwasa program and the winter Pfumvudza Intwasa program. For summer initially we targeted 1.8 million rural house holds, we ended up contracting 2,5 million households under the Presidential Pvumvudza scheme.”
The Agro- Processing Business Forum was running under the theme: Moving the economy up the value chain through enhanced agro- processing.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Sekai Nzenza said the government entered into a five year fertilizer programme with local fertiliser manufactures so as to boost farming productivity.
“Government entered a five year fertilizer import substitution roadmap with local fertilizer manufactures to boost productivity and production, save foreign currency, ensure food security and create employment.
‘Key success factor is strengthening collaboration between government and all stakeholders in the value chains.” She said during the Agro – Processing Business Forum Programme.
Also present during the Business Forum Program was the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Honorable Rajeshkumar Modi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Honorable Vangelis Haritatos and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dr Mavis Sibanda.
