The Agricultural Marketing Authority (Ama) has extended an invitation to wheat farmers to join its database, with the goal of forming production clusters and ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply during winter wheat farming.
Ama’s Agribusiness Director, Jonathan Mukuruba, made the announcement at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo last week, emphasizing the importance of stable power supply for the success of winter wheat cultivation.
By joining Ama’s database, wheat farmers can benefit from being part of a coordinated effort to improve efficiency and minimize disruptions caused by power outages.
“We are inviting winter wheat farmers, whether contracted or self-financed, to approach our offices nationwide so that they benefit from the electricity ring-fencing programme,” he said.
The AMA is taking proactive steps to support winter wheat farming. To ensure uninterrupted power supply, a key factor for successful wheat production, Ama is encouraging farmers to join their database.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union Secretary-General, Paul Zachariya, emphasized the importance of a continuous power supply for wheat production. By organizing farmers into production clusters and providing stable electricity, Ama aims to optimize the conditions for wheat cultivation during the winter season.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka recently stated that the primary focus for winter wheat this year is maximizing production.
A bumper harvest of the cereal in the 2022 farming season saw the government putting a stop to flour and wheat imports.
Government has set a target to cultivate 120 000 hectares of wheat and 7 000 hectares of barley for the upcoming winter cropping season.
Reports indicate that at least 1 300 hectares have so far been put under wheat.
Source established that farmers are worried that electricity outages will affect this year’s winter wheat production resulting in shortages of some basic commodities and related agricultural products in the near future.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing power outages because of depressed generation owing to among others low water levels at Kariba Dam.
SOURCE : NEWSDAY
