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Elita Chikwati and Diana Nherera
Wet conditions being experienced in most parts of the country are set to persist as farmers express mixed feelings over the late rains. Some farmers have welcomed the rains, which they say will improve late planted crops such as maize and sweet potatoes, while others who had an early crop, complained that their maize could rot due to high moisture.

Zimbabwe Farmers Union President Mr Abdul Nyathi said crops in the southern parts of the country would not benefit from the current rains.

He said the rains would likely improve pastures and water supplies for winter cropping.

“The bulk of the crops in the southern region are already beyond recovery. There is plenty of water for winter cropping. Most small-scale farmers will produce vegetables under irrigation,” he said.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said farmers with late crops could benefit from the rains, especially those who grew sweet potatoes.

“Sweet potatoes will do well with these rains. The rains are threatening tobacco farming as they may result in false ripening,” he said.

Some tobacco growers also complained that they were having difficulties transporting their crop to the market.

The farmers said the rains could contaminate their crop resulting in poor quality and low prices.

Meteorological Service Department’s head of forecasting Mr Tich Zinyemba said they expected high moisture to continue in Mashonaland provinces and Midlands followed by thunder showers from Monday to Thursday.

“In Mashonaland Central and West, north of the Midlands and Matabeleland North, residual moisture should still continue to cause cloudiness in these areas with rain-showers and probably one or two outbreaks of light thunder showers.

“We do not anticipate that there will be significant rainfalls in excess of 20 millimetres in these areas as the main cloud system that has been responsible for the heavy rain has made its way out of the country,” he said.

Last Friday, Logan Park in Harare recorded the highest rainfall with 65mm followed by Chibero (58mm), Harare International Airport (54mm) and Kutsaga (49mm).

Mr Zinyemba said Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo, south of Midlands and Manicaland were expected to be mainly under sunny conditions although localised cloudy spells could not be ruled out.

From Friday up to next week, the weather should become warmer with lots of sunshine.

“After the initial period of cloudiness, at least in the north, weather conditions from Friday up to Sunday should become warmer with lots of sunshine.

“This should see temperatures warming up slightly with an average of 26 degrees Celsius during the day but naturally, since we are slowly approaching the winter season, minimum temperatures should remain rather low with about 13 degrees Celsius in average,” he said.