The Sunday Mail
Theseus Shambare
GOVERNMENT has mobilised more than 2 000 units of farming machinery that have been deployed to mechanisation hubs countrywide for leasing to farmers during the winter wheat farming season.
The machinery will provide farmers with tillage, harvesting and logistical support services.
Nine mechanisation hubs — from where machinery such as tractors and combine harvesters will be leased to farmers through the Agricultural Finance Corporation Leasing Company and other agents — have since been established in wheat farming provinces.
Government is planning to put 85 000 hectares under the cereal this year, up from more than 78 000ha last year.
Planting has already commenced in Mashonaland West, while farmers in other provinces are finalising land preparation.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said there will be a smooth transition from summer to winter cropping this year.
“Smooth transition into winter cropping is enhanced and further buttressed by the availability of mechanisation equipment,” he said.
“The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has been equipped with 20 mobile grain dryers with a capacity to dry 840 tonnes daily, complementing the private sector that has dryers with a capacity of 100 000 tonnes per day, all enough to facilitate and guarantee the transition to winter cropping.”
Government is also mobilising adequate fuel for production.
“To support mechanisation services, a Zimbabwe-dollar fuel facility by Petrotrade, managed by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), will be expanded to provide fuel to wheat farmers weekly.”
Chief director of agriculture mechanisation, water and soil conservation in the ministry, Engineer Edwin Zimunga, said Government was “very prepared for the season”.
“We have enough planters at farmers’ disposal.
“With a target of 85 000ha, we just need approximately 1 200 tractors (75 horsepower) to meet the planting target over a 20-day period, and these are readily available,” said Eng Zimunga.
“We also have a mechanisation service from our partners as well, like Bison, Bain, Massey Ferguson, among others.
“All these are easily accessible to farmers at favourable rates.”
To access the equipment, farmers can make cash payments, negotiate stop-order facilities or use their grain as payment.
Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services chief director Professor Obert Jiri emphasised the need for farmers to take part in production training programmes.
“Farmers need to take advantage of seminars our extension staff will be carrying out,” said Prof Jiri.
“These are important for them to be knowledgeable on how to access the equipment, how to use it, and other aspects.
“We encourage farmers to exchange knowledge, for this will contribute to agronomic practice improvement.”
Wheat production is expected to top 408 000 tonnes this season, up from 371 131 tonnes produced last year.
