Staff Reporter
Government says adequate fertiliser supplies will be available for farmers during the ongoing winter wheat planting season as the country moves to achieve its target of 125 000 hectares under wheat.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Midlands Province Winter Wheat Pre-planting Seminar at DCK Farm in Kwekwe, the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said authorities had engaged fertiliser companies to ensure there would be no shortages.
“There have been some concerns regarding top dressing fertiliser. Today, with fertiliser companies, we are assured that all the fertiliser that is required for winter wheat will be in the country by end of next week,” said Dr Masuka.
He said the availability of fertiliser was critical in supporting the country’s winter wheat production target of 662 500 metric tonnes.
Dr Masuka said
He added that despite rising fuel costs, supplies remained available and Government had also mobilised resources to deal with migratory pests such as quelea birds, which threaten grain crops.
Dr Masuka said Government had also approved a planning and pre-planning producer price of US$524 per metric tonne for wheat, up from US$451 last season, to help cushion farmers against increasing production costs.
“We’ve already taken into consideration the increased costs for fuel and fertiliser so farming can become viable and profitable,” he said.
