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Africa Moyo

Deputy News Editor

A number of trucks laden with maize seed under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Presidential Inputs Scheme were yesterday dispatched to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots in Manicaland, as preparations for the 2022/2023 summer cropping season gather pace.

The seed that was taken to Manicaland suits the soils in the province, in line with the Government’s shift from distributing any seed across the country, to a new system where seed that will do well in a given area would be distributed to boost yields.

Zimbabwe Seed Trade Association chairman Mr John Makoni confirmed that Pfumvudza inputs were available in huge quantities, adding that a number of areas already have the inputs at GMB depots for onward transmission to farmers.

Mr Makoni said all seeds including maize and traditional grains were available. 

The main distributor of the Pfumvudza Presidential Inputs Scheme is Valley Seeds, but it works with its partners to fulfil farmers’ seed requirements.

In an interview yesterday, Valley Seeds commercial director Mr Tich Mapongah said there was adequate seed for the summer cropping season and distribution to provinces had already started.

“The season is upon us, in terms of us getting closer to the rainy season. In terms of Pfumvudza inputs preparedness, we are very much prepared,” said Mr Mapongah. 

“Today (yesterday) we dispatched some trucks from our Ruwa plant and the Juru plant. The seed was destined for GMB depots in Manicaland province. 

“So far, we already have areas where seed has been distributed such as Makonde. It is not just maize seed, but some other inputs have also gone there. In Manicaland, there is some seed that has also gone and as from next week, we will be in full swing distributing seed.”

Mr Mapongah said maize seed was plentiful, together with traditional grains.

Generally dry areas where maize growing has not been previously successful, will get traditional grains so that maize seed is not wasted.

“We have enough seed to cover the whole Pfumvudza programme. As we are talking right now, Valley Seeds is more than ready to go. 

“Our partners that we work with in the programme, are also preparing. Some of them are actually 50 percent in terms of preparedness.”

Valley Seeds and its partners remain busy processing and packaging Pfumvudza seeds and once preparation has been finished, distribution takes place.

“The only hiccup is probably on products like hybrid sorghum, which we need to import, and hybrid sunflower seed which we also need to import.

“But we have some (sunflower seed) that is locally-produced in terms, but obviously we want to augment that local production with imported seed. 

“All the years we have been importing (hybrid sunflower seed) but we have a little bit of production that we did last year of sunflower seed which was produced locally especially under Valley Seeds and some other players,” said Mr Mapongah. 

The Government is pushing sunflower growing to boost local cooking oil production. 

Mr Mapongah said: “We also want to support the local oil industry so we want to supply them in a big way and the only way we can support them is by ensuring that we produce a lot of sunflower seed locally.”

Turning to the distribution of seed in line with ecological regions, Mr Mapongah said that decision by the Government would be useful as “the right varieties are going to be placed in the right regions”.

“Farmers will be able to get the right seed varieties that do well in their regions. This issue of mass distribution without looking at the right varieties for the right areas is not quite good because it would mean that some varieties would not do well in the different regions where they would have been placed. 

“So the issue of placing the right varieties in the right areas is quite a noble idea. I am sure it is going to improve also in terms of yields in the various regions that the seed would be distributed,” he said.