As the winter wheat planting begins, agricultural authorities have set ambitious targets for the crop.

With a focus on increasing production and ensuring food security, the government’s Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has outlined a comprehensive strategy to boost winter wheat across various provinces.

According to the latest figures released by ARDA, the target for winter wheat planting this season stands at 120 000 hectares. As of the most recent update, a total of 1 824 hectares had been planted, while an additional 71 778 hectares have already been contracted for planting in the coming weeks.
To meet the seed requirements for the planned cultivation, authorities aimed for 15 000 tonnes of seeds. However, only 12 664 tonnes are currently available, indicating a shortfall that may need to be addressed to ensure optimal planting conditions.

ARDA’s strategic goal for this season is to target 60 000 hectares of land, with an ultimate aim of achieving a yield of 300 000 tonnes of winter wheat. The planting window for optimal results ranges from the last week of April to the end of May, with the highest yields expected during the first two weeks of May.

Provincial targets have been set with specific goals for each area.

In Manicaland, the target is 13 000 hectares, while Mashonaland Central aims for 28 000 hectares, Mashonaland East for 21 000 hectares, Mashonaland West for 34 000 hectares, Masvingo for 4 000 hectares, Matabeleland South for 5 500 hectares, Matabeleland North for 2 500 hectares, and the Midlands for 12 000 hectares.

In terms of fertilizer availability, 76 630 tonnes of fertilizer are on hand, representing 64 percent of the required tonnage for the winter wheat planting season. Agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters and dryers are readily available, along with chemicals for weed and quelea bird control to support the cultivation process.