Zimbabwe records bumper wheat harvest

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has confirmed a total wheat harvest of 563 961 tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 467,000 tonnes set last year.

Despite the challenging climatic conditions, farmers in both Matabeleland North and South provinces contributed highest numbers to the overall harvest.

Matabeleland North harvested 5 930 tonnes from 1913 hectares, while Matabeleland South yielded 13 822 tonnes from 3 115 hectares.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana commended the farmers for their efforts saying that this bumper harvest will have a positive impact on the nation’s economy, reducing the need for wheat imports while boosting local production.

This year’s harvest is estimated to be the largest since 1966. The increased domestic wheat production will significantly reduce the need for imports, thereby boosting the country’s economy.