Zimbabwe has extended its winter wheat planning programme to June 15 as the country seeks to meet this year’s targeted output of 340 000 tonnes.

This will bring the country’s winter wheat output close to national requirements of around 360 000 tonnes.

“The planting deadline has been extended to 15 June 2021 from 10 June and the seeding rate increased from 125 to 150kg per hectare,” said Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.

“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.”

A total of 92 000 hectares, comprising 85 000 hectares for wheat and 7 000 hectares for barley, was targeted for planting this winter season under the following programmes: Presidential Wheat Scheme (10 000 hectares’ wheat), Command/CBZ Agro-Yield (10 000 hectares’ wheat), the Private Sector (15 000 hectares’ wheat) and Delta (7 000 hectares’ barley).

9 796 hectares have been identified under the Presidential Wheat Scheme as at 3 June 2021, while a total of 65 623 hectares (1 361 farmers) has been contracted under the Command/CBZ Agro-Yield Programme.

Official numbers show 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.

Meanwhile, regarding the marketing of grain, Minister Mutsvangwa said deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) are generally firm, with 88 307 metric tonnes of maize, 7 534 metric tonnes of soyabeans, 7 523 metric tonnes of traditional grains, 215 metric tonnes of premium grade wheat and 367 metric tonnes of ordinary grade wheat having been received as at 5 June 2021.

And total grain received as at 6 June 2021 is 130 000 metric tonnes.