Government ropes in tobacco farmers to ramp up wheat production

15

THE government is set to rope in tobacco farmers to ramp up wheat production, amid supply chain disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zimbabwe imports about 40 percent of its wheat from Russia.
In a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said golden leaf farmers were expected to increase wheat production, as government plans to increase the hectarage from last year’s 66 435 to 75 000 with an estimated yield of 383 500 tonnes.

“Pertaining to wheat, Cabinet reports that to increase the hectarage under wheat as well as increase output, tobacco farmers will be roped in to grow the crop.
“The transition to winter wheat by tobacco farmers is a welcome move and will go a long way in boosting supply of the cereal so that we have sufficient domestic stocks,” Mutsvangwa said.