The Sunday News
Sunday News Reporter
THE country is expecting to start receiving rains next week, as the rainy season kicks off with high hopes that this year farmers will be able to produce enough to feed the nation which is in the middle of a drought following last year’s poor rains.
However, farmers have quickly expressed concern over the price of seeds and other inputs which has gone beyond the reach of many, especially the poor communal farmers.
In a state of nation address on Friday, President Mnangagwa said the country was set to start receiving normal to above rainfall from October to December, signifying an early planting season.
“As I address you tonight, the preliminary weather forecast is now out. We are likely to enjoy normal to above normal rains in the first three months of October, November and December of the season. Thereafter, from January, February up to March, the forecast points to a normal-to-below normal rainfall pattern,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said farmers must be guided accordingly and put in place plans to grow their crops within this forecast.
“As before, Government will support our farmers with inputs and other services in time. The goal is for speedy recovery so our country regains its food-secure status. In the meantime, I urge all our farmers, big and small, to put shoulder to wheel so we take full advantage of the early rains,” he said.
However, despite the farming season only a few days from now, according to the forecast, farmer representatives said they were mentally ready but not adequately resourced to kick start planting. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Shadreck Makombe said most farmers were banking on Government support as they could not afford to buy the inputs.
Some shops are selling maize seed at astronomical prices with a 25 kilogramme bag going for as much as $1 000.
“Yes, mentally we are ready but to be frank most farmers cannot simply afford the inputs. We are however, happy because the Government has started to put in place mechanism to help us. This time it seems everything is done correctly because we can involve banks such as CBZ who really know and we are also grateful to the Ministry of Lands (Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement) because they are listening and engaging us in this whole issue,” he said.
Government has already released money to buy inputs under the Command Agriculture initiative. Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union executive director Mr Paul Zacharia said farmers have no capacity to fully unlock the value of land because they were incapacitated.
“Land preparation should be ongoing now, but without even talking about planting inputs, farmers can’t afford to buy the diesel, worse sourcing it because it is scarce. Even those with tractors cannot afford to pay for the spares so without proper support some farmers will not be able to plant their expected hectares.”
