Govt moves to rescue winter maize
George Maponga in CHIREDZI
Government has intervened to save 18 000 tonnes of winter maize crop in the Lowveld from wasting away in the fields by deploying machinery to ensure the entire crop is harvested in the next two-and-a-half weeks.
This year’s winter maize hectarage was increased ten-fold from 327ha last year to over 3 500ha, creating logistical challenges in harvesting the crop, two months after the scheduled harvesting date.
The long season maize variety was planted last July and was due to be harvested in December, but the prevailing wet conditions hampered the process at fields in Triangle, Hippo Valley and Mwenezana.