Heavy rains that have been pounding most parts of Zimbabwe since late last year have washed away crops, raising fears that the crisis-hit country could again face severe food shortages this year.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) President, Silas Hungwe, said the heavy rains will impact negatively on the country’s harvest. “The rains have had a negative impact on the country, plants are now water logged and in some areas, crops have been washed away . . . We fear that we will not realise much this year.”
Zimbabwe, together with southern Africa neighbours Mozambique and Zambia, have since last year battled floods after above normal rainfall since December.
The floods have left at least 21 people dead in Zimbabwe while villagers in low-lying regions have lost their property and livestock. The government has already declared the floods a national disaster.
Former Grain Marketing Board (GMB) chief executive, Renson Gasela, who is also a senior member of Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), party said the country would be lucky to harvest 600 000 metric tonnes of maize this year because of the floods. Zimbabwe,requires at least 1.4 million tonnes of maize every year. A chaotic land reform programme initiated eight years ago has left Zimbabwe unable to feed itself.
“The figures are worrying, just last week the projection was that the country was to get 800 000 metric tonnes. The figures have since been revised downwards because there is no fertiliser to save the crop, while the rains are not stopping at all,” said Gasela.
Last week, Zimbabwe’s Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (AREX) said the rains were adversely affecting farming operations, with most crops now showing signs of nitrogen deficiency due to water logging.
Agricultural experts say this year’s farming, dubbed “the mother of all agricultural seasons,” had virtually gone to waste because of incessant rains and failure by the Harare authorities to ensure adequate supplies of seed and fertiliser.
Tobacco crop also threatened...
Shortages of fertilizer and coal, among other factors, may reduce the country’s planned tobacco output of 120 million kilogrammes this year, the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association has said.
At least 90 percent of the targeted 60 000 hectares have been put under the crop this year.
"The incessant rains are threatening the crop as a result of water logging and nutrient leaching, whilst the erratic supply of fertilizer and coal has worsened the situation," ZTA president Andrew Ferreira said. "Apart from delays in delivering coal, the National Railways of Zimbabwe has doubled its costs in transporting coal," he added.
He said the association was pressing the Government to review the support price, pegged at US$1,50 per kg as of last year, noting production costs had risen.
As a result of these problems, Mr Ferreira said ZTA projected a tobacco output of 58 million kilogrammes, which is an average of 1 200 kilogrammes per hectare.
Last year, Zimbabwe produced 74 million kilogrammes of tobacco.
New Ziana.
