Zimbabwean winter wheat programme oversubscribed




Spread the love

THE winter Wheat National Enhanced Productivity Programme targeting at least 60 000 hectares of the cereal crop has been oversubscribed, with CBZ Agro Yield availing more inputs for another five thousand hectares.

Over 30 thousand hectares put under winter wheat have so far germinated.

Latest statistics by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement show that more than 30 thousand hectares of winter wheat planted this season have so far germinated.

“We are very happy to announce that under national enhanced productivity programme, NEPP about 20 thousand hectares of the targeted 60 hectares have already germinate while 11 000 of the 15 thousand targeted under private sector have germinated. Under The Presidential 9200 have been contacted so far out of the 10 thousand. We urge farmers to continue and expedite planting up to the 10 of June to achieve the national target of 85 thousand hectares,” said Dr John Basera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agric, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement.

The 60 000 hectares targeted under the CBZ Agro Yield programme have been oversubscribed and inputs for an additional five thousand hectares have been availed.

“As we speak we have contacted more than 60 thousand hectares and we are happy to announce that farmers who wish to plant more can come and apply for more inputs as we have set aside another 5000 hectares worth of inputs,” said CBZ Agro Yield Managing Director Walter Chigodora,”

With the additional five thousand hectares being availed under National Enhanced Productivity Programme, the winter target is now pegged at 90 thousand hectares with expectations high the county will significantly reduce the huge wheat import bill.