The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
THE Government is anticipating to harvest 18 000 metric tonnes of maize in Masvingo following the success of a joint venture with private companies.
The Government and private companies, Tongaat Hullets and the Masvingo Development Trust managed to plant 3 659 hectares of maize crop in July and the crop is now ready for harvesting. Masvingo provincial Agritex officer Mr Aaron Muchazivepi said the project was a success as they were expecting between 16 000-18 000 tonnes this year compared to the 1 118 tonnes last year.
“Government embarked on a Public-Private Partnership where we have private players coming together so that we improve our food security in the province. We have Tongaat Hullets, Masvingo Development Trust and the irrigation schemes that have been rehabilitated by Government.
“We have the Chilonga Irrigation Scheme which has planted 159 hectares of the maize crop and are already harvesting. We are looking forward to at least five tonnes per hectare for the 3 659 planted hectarage. For the province it is a success because we are looking at a tune of approximately 16 000-18 000 metric tonnes of maize crop compared to what we got last season where we got 1 118 tonnes for almost 329 hectares that we had planted,” he said.
He said that the Government saw it fit for the province to utilise its irrigation schemes and water from the Tugwi Mukosi Dam for the production of the winter maize so as to secure food for the province.
“In five years’ time we are targeting 10 000 hectares of the winter maize crop so that we arraign issues to do with food security in our province since we don’t receive good rains most of the time. This is done to buttress issues to do with food security for our province.”
Meanwhile, due to the incessant rains in the province the harvesting is being done manually. Masvingo acting Provincial Mechanisation Engineer Andrew Mupariwa said, “The harvesting is being done manually since combine harvesters could not operate in the wet fields. At the moment we are in the process of installing grain dryers, one in Triangle and the other at Hippo Valley for drying the grain to a recommended moisture content of 12 percent.”
