The Sunday News
Johnsias Mutonhori, Midlands Correspondent
AT least 50 percent of crops in the Midlands can be salvaged if the province can receive rains this week, an official has said.
The whole country has been experiencing a dry spell which has resulted in crops in most areas suffering serious moisture stress.
In an interview last week, Midlands Agritex provincial crop and livestock officer Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi said the province could still record a better yield provided the rains come this week.
She admitted that some crops were now approaching permanent wilting stages, but some in other areas could still be salvaged.
“We have great hopes of a better harvest because 50 percent of our crops are good and 20 percent are fair.
We’re currently worried about 30 percent which now is advancing towards permanent wilting.
Again about 60 percent of our crop was planted late December and January meaning it’s at an early and late vegetative stages which can be resuscitated if rains come this week,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said areas with sandy loam soil were the most affected while areas with clay soil were better.
“The sandy-loam soil areas like Somabhula, Lower Gweru, Chiwundura in Gweru District are heavily affected while places with clay soils like Guinea Fowl, Matobo Road and Connemara are likely to survive if rains come this week,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said the continuous dry spells have reduced this year yields expectation albeit notable areas are still promising to give out better harvest.
“Zvishavane, Mvuma, Shurugwi, Mberengwa, Kwekwe, Gokwe South and Gokwe North sandy soiled areas are in dire moisture stress while in the same districts places like Mhondongori in Zvishavane, Sherwood in Kwekwe, Sidakeni, Manoti in Gokwe South are still looking good and hopeful that it shall it survive,” she said.
Mrs Magwenzi said the dry spell was pointing to lower yields compared last season.
“In the province we initially had less hectarage this season compared to the previous season. Following the hectarage we expect lesser yield this season, but the crop was of high quality,” she said.
The Midlands Province this year cultivated 21 percent less hectarage on maize compared to last season.
Last year the province had 360 335 ha under maize, but this season it dropped to 296 628 ha.
Gokwe South has the largest areas with 78 755 ha while Zvishavane recorded the least at 14 100 ha.
Mrs Magwenzi also urged farmers not to panic and stop losing hope saying the only end result after sowing is to harvest.
“Farmers do not need to panic.
When one sows it’s obvious that there is a harvest though it might not match due to several circumstances. Dry-land farmers have faith and trust God for the rains.”
She also urged farmers to look up and prepare for the coming winter season.
“Farmers never lose hope so fast, as we wait for the rains, let’s plan for winter wheat.
We want to plant it on time, 1 May 2022 starting to plant so as to compensate for the summer crop that might not yield as expected,” said Mrs Magwenzi.
She also hinted that irrigation is set to increase in the province.
“There are plans to increase irrigated areas so that they can supplement rainfall,” she said.
Meanwhile, The Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) executive director, Paul Zakaria was recently quoted urging farmers to consider irrigation as the country has experienced a shift in rainfall patterns.
“Seasons have changed; they are now shorter than previous years.
Over the years we used to receive rainfall in October, but this year the rains started in January,” he said.
