| Wheat Harvesting Almost Complete in Mash West |
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| Friday,December 01,2006 Posted: 21:12 BJT(12 GMT) The Herald |
FARMERS in Mashonaland West have almost completed harvesting their winter wheat with at least 19 000 hectares out of about 21 000 hectares already reaped.
However, some farmers are still battling to secure combine harvesters and this could result in reduced yields because of the onset of the rains.
Figures provided by the Department of Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Arex) show that about 90 percent of the crop in the province has already been harvested and nearly half of it delivered to the Grain Marketing Board.
Most of the farmers who are yet to reap their crop cited high cost of hiring combines while others blamed the delay on erratic fuel supplies.
"We have been trying to secure combine harvesters but it has been very difficult.
"We are just hoping that the rains do not affect the quality of our crop," said one farmer.
He said the delay caused by the shortage of combines could translate into severe losses for those who planted late.
Combine owners are charging up to $35 000 per hectare.
Mashonaland West Governor Cde Nelson Samkange expressed hope that the rains would not drastically affect the quality of yield.
"Most farmers in the province have managed to harvest their crop, but there are still some who are having problems in getting combine harvesters. There are also problems here and there of shortage of diesel," he said.
He expressed optimism that the combines recently acquired by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe would help the situation.
The central bank imported farming equipment worth US$25 million as part of efforts to boost production in the farming sector.
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