(Last Updated on June 9, 2021 by ZIMDAILY EDITOR)
ZIMBABWE – The country has extended its winter wheat planting deadline from 10 to 15 June, although the country has already doubled the number of hectares it had under plantation compared to the same period last year.
Speaking at a post Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the extension of the deadline was expected to pave way for the plantation of more wheat.
Zimbabwe initially targeted 85 000 hectares of wheat this winter from all farmers to ensure self-sufficiency.
“Government advises that as at 5 June 2021, a total of 47 519 hectares had been planted to wheat, more than double the area planted at the same time last year. The planting deadline has been extended to 15 June 2021 from 10 June and the seeding rate increased from 125 to 150 kilogrammes per hectare. It is estimated that with this extension, 70 000 to 75 000 hectares of wheat will be planted, translating to an estimated total production of 315 000 to 337 500 metric tonnes,” she said.
