Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter

A major push to boost production of soya beans in the coming season is expected to raise the harvest next year by 75 percent to around 143 000 tonnes from 71 600 hectares, from the base of 82 000 tonnes harvest this year from the 41 000ha planted last summer.

This will probably not move Zimbabwe into self sufficiency for oil seeds, although the dramatic expected rise in cotton and sunflower along with the big jump in soya will cut the deficit to much lower levels. At present Zimbabwe requires around 240 000 tonnes of soya bean for food, stockfeed and other industrial needs, although this can be lower if there is more sunflower and cotton seed.

Producers of soya oil have been dominating the top ranks of bidders at the foreign currency auction and boosting local output of all oil seeds will make a major difference in reducing imports, or at least allowing more currency to be available for other imports.

In an interview, chief director Agriculture and Rural Advisory Services Professor Obert Jiri said the Government has rolled out several agricultural programmes that seek to drive output in the farming sector to ensure sustainable national food security through the production of crops such as soya bean and small grains.

“We also have a programme which is now called the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), which was formerly known as Command Agriculture. Farmers should embrace such initiatives to enhance productivity and sustain themselves.

Under NEAPS we have CBZ Agro yield which is targeting 20 000 ha and expects 50 000 tonnes of soya bean.

Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) will support 5000 ha and expects 15 000 tonnes. Private sector will be supporting 36 542 ha and expects 109 626 tonnes,” he said.

The private sector is now backing just over half the projected harvest as vegetable oil processors take up the example of the tobacco companies to contract growers to produce what they need. This move by industrial companies to finance farmers and pay them to grow their raw materials has been actively encouraged by the Government, and present policy is that agro-industrial companies should contract for at least 40 percent of their requirements.

The jump in the private-sector backing for soya bean is still well below that figure but the quantity being contracted each year is growing rapidly.

Command Agriculture was initiated in 2016 to ensure that commercial farmers on the medium sized and larger farmers, the A2 resettlement farmers among others, could access inputs through guaranteed loans and so bring far more land into production and boost harvests, and that in turn would provide better incomes, more jobs both on the farms and in industry, ensure national food security and accelerate import substitution.

Professor Jiri has also urged farmers to increase soya bean farming to boost oil production and reduce import bill.

He also advised farmers with irrigation to use it on soya bean production. He noted that the private contractors had to give farmers their seed on time so that they can plant the crop early.

Zimbabwe National Farmers Union vice president Mr Edward Dune said land preparations are underway and farmers will be done with planting by December. “Preparations are underway but most farmers are still keeping the produce for the last season waiting for the prices to increase,’ he said.

A farmer from Mashonaland west in Banket Mrs Easther Magombo of Maheu area said she is expecting a better yield next year with guidance from Agritex officers.

“I think next year l am going to produce a better yield, Agro yield is providing me with inputs, everything is in place, production of the crop does not require too much labour. I can do better next year with guidance from experts,” she said.

Increased soya bean production is necessary to meet an increasing domestic and global demand. It is one of the most common crops with multiple benefits to the farmer, the industry and the economy.

Soya is used as an affordable source of protein for livestock feeds as well as being a major constituent of many cooking oil blends, margarine, soya chunks, soap, milk to name a few.

It is considered a very useful crop in any commercial crop rotation, being a legume that pumps nitrogen into soils rather than taking it out, and was at one stage considered the best crop to follow tobacco on a field to restore the nitrogen levels while using residue from other fertilisers.

At national level the crop is critical in attaining a complete food security for the general populace. Agriculture industry contributes about 30 percent to the National GDP. It’s contribution to the Agriculture GDP can be more with increased production.

Agriculture creates employment for at least 65 percent of the populace, directly and indirectly. This shows how essential it is to improve production and productivity levels of all the crops in the food basket such as soya bean in the country as well as non-food crops. Improving soya bean production will surely increase its contribution to the Agriculture GDP.