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Grace Nyoni Midlands Reporter
Farmers from different districts in the Midlands Province have reported that their crops have been hit by the cold spell experienced recently.

In an interview yesterday, an agronomist under Charter Seeds Starke Ayres Ms Celina Sakupwanya said most of winter horticultural crops this season were seriously affected by the cold spell experienced recently.

“We have been receiving reports from farmers that most of their winter crops like tomatoes, maize and peas have been affected by the winter spell which was experienced recently in our province, especially in Lower Gweru and Kwekwe,” said Ms Sakupwanya.

She said most farmers will probably fail to reach their yield targets due to the frost and this will make the market price for crops like tomatoes to be high.

“Most farmers will fail to reach their yield target because most of the crops have been affected by the frost and it will make the selling price to be high in August, especially for tomatoes,” she said.

Ms Sakupwanya added that the only crops which were not affected are the ones in greenhouses and they are expecting them to boost the market since most of the crops have been affected by frost.

She urged farmers to practice greenhouse farming and regularly water their crops at sunrise and sunset to reduce the impact of frosting.

“Crops which are likely to boost the market are from the greenhouse farming since they were not affected by the frost,” said Ms Sakupwanya.  “This will force prices to go high because the target we had has depleted because of the cold spells.

“I encourage farmers to practice greenhouse farming and regularly water their crops at sunrise and sunset to reduce the impact of frosting.”