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Wimbainashe Zhakata Mutare Correspondent
PREPARATIONS for winter wheat crop planting in Manicaland are underway, although indications are that the province might fail to meet its 3000 hectares target due to low uptake.

The official deadline for planting winter wheat is May 15.

In an interview with The Herald Manicaland Agritex livestock and crops officer Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said the high cost of production had deterred most farmers especially in Mutasa district.

“This year, wheat uptake is very low especially in Mutasa district. This is mainly caused by price hikes of inputs, water supply, economic scale and few farmers are taking up the crop due to financial hardships.

“Winter wheat preparations are still underway and the optimum date is May 15 and we expect farmers to have completed planting by the end of May. For now only 30 percent of the province has started planting,” said Mrs Rwambiwa.

She also said some farmers being contracted under command agriculture were still waiting for inputs and would start as soon as they receive them. Mrs Rwambiwa indicated that there is a new presidential program which is still in its infancy stage and would only focus on wheat production.

“This presidential program is for free and it will target communal farmers and irrigation schemes in communal areas among others. The program will boost wheat production in the country. Currently we are in the process of registering farmers,” she said.

Agritex provincial agronomist Mr Cephas Mlambo said four districts in the province had started planting the winter crop.

“Farmers in Mutare, Mutasa, Nyanga, and Makoni districts have started to planting winter wheat. Chipinge district is still to start planting and we are expecting a target of 3 000 hectares this season,” said Mr Mlambo.

He also said that farmers in low veld areas such as Middle Sabi and Chubuwe should plant their wheat earlier because cold periods in such areas were very short.