Zimbabwe for the first time since 2005 expects to have wheat which is enough to meet the country’s demand, harvesting over 300 000 tones this year.
The country forecasts wheat harvests of over 300 000 tonnes in the current harvest and over 66 000 hectares were put to wheat this year, the third highest hectarage since Independence.
Speaking to the media, Minister Of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said, “the nation is being informed that following a successful wheat season, Zimbabwe is anticipating a volume of more than 300 000 metric tonnes of the cereal, against a national annual requirement of 360 000 metric tonnes.
“This is on the backdrop of the current national wheat stocks which stand at 70 000 metric tonnes, making Zimbabwe wheat self-sufficient for the first time since 2005,” she said.
However this year, farmers were hit by an outbreak of quelea birds, which farmers say may affect out put.
Previously, harvesting was hit by a shortage of combine harvesters, a challenge that farmers’ unions say will be addressed this year.
wheat harvesting is expected to end in November.
