Gvt Pushes for Faster Wheat Planting Amid Dry Season Warning

Source: 263chat.com

By Kudzaishe Chimonera Local farmers are being urged to speed up winter wheat planting as the government pushes to meet its 2026 production targets before the end of May amid forecasts of a potentially drier agricultural season ahead. Speaking during a tour of Taguta Farm in Makoni District, Manicaland Province, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Obert Jiri said officials were assessing progress across provinces as the planting window nears its close. “We are assessing our plantings as we go into the last week, the last stretch of our planting,” Jiri said. He said farmers were being encouraged to quickly harvest summer crops and transition immediately to winter wheat production in response to climate forecasts pointing to a drier 2026–2027 season. “It is the wheat that we plant which will assist us come the dry season.

We know that the forecasting points to a drier 2026–2027 season so we need to respond to it,” he said. The government has set Manicaland Province a target of 12 500 hectares under wheat this season although only around 3 000 hectares had been planted at the time of the visit. Jiri said authorities remained optimistic that the province would meet its target by the 31 May deadline highlighting Makoni District’s production potential. “Makoni District is able to do at least 7,000 hectares, so we should be able to get onto that platform where we can do the best we can in Manicaland,” he said.

Agricultural experts have also urged farmers to adjust planting strategies to offset delays. Sandra Bhaiwa, an agronomist with Valley Seeds, said farmers at Taguta Farm were working to maximise land use as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen flour self-sufficiency. “We are encouraging farmers to increase the seed rate actually, to try and compensate for the time that was lost for the delayed planting,” she said. She also stressed the importance of following proper farming methods to maximise output. “We are encouraging farmers to monitor and practice all the good agronomic practices so that our crop comes out good, so that we can attain a high yield,” Bhaiwa said.

According to Bhaiwa, wheat yields of between seven and 10 tonnes per hectare are achievable if farmers follow recommended production practices. The post Gvt Pushes for Faster Wheat Planting Amid Dry Season Warning appeared first on 263Chat .

Related topics: wheat planting, agriculture, government policy, Manicaland, climate forecast, Obert Jiri, Zimbabwe farming

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