tobacco company moves to wheat production
Premier Tobacco Company, partnering with the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA), is cultivating wheat on a 280-hectare farm in Shamva using irrigation from Arcadia Dam. Targeting 1,000 hectares for cereals, the initiative aims to enhance Zimbabwe’s food security. With an expected yield of 1,400 tonnes, Premier Tobacco aligns with the government’s agricultural strategy. The farm also plans to diversify into maize, soya beans, and horticulture to maximize productivity.
A local tobacco firm has partnered the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) to grow wheat on a 280 hectare farm using irrigation water from Arcadia Dam.
Premier Tobacco Company is targeting 1 000ha of cereals around the SOS Maizelands Farm in Shamva.
Apart from having a permanent source of water, the area is endowed with good soils.
The tobacco company is the second to enter into an agreement with ARDA, where it will plant cereals such as maize and wheat in one of its diversified agriculture models.
Boosting wheat production has been identified as one of the effective ways of upgrading food security in Zimbabwe. The crop is 100 percent irrigated, so is immune to drought.
Partnerships with the private sector are critical in boosting the nation’s food security, and Premier Tobacco is one of the companies whose agricultural model dovetails with the Government’s thrust.
This is also in line with the Government’s agriculture and food systems transformation strategy, which is set to propel the country’s productivity and maximum land use.
Premier Tobacco executive director Mr Owen Murumbi said by partnering ARDA in wheat farming, their aim is to boost production, while at the same time supporting Government’s initiatives of improving food security.
Currently, the firm is renting an SOS Maizelands Farm in Shamva, which has 280ha under wheat, with an average yield of 5 tonnes per ha and so an expected yield of 1 400 tonnes.
“We are basically fitting into the Government’s programme very well as you can see that ARDA is coming in to boost production, so we are trying to boost wheat production. Indirectly we are contributing towards the Government’s strategy and we are also targeting more exports,” he said.
SOS Maizelands Farm manager Mr Nicholas Jann Oosthuzen said nothing would stop them from producing a good harvest.
“For the summer cropping we will put seed maize, soya beans, sorghum and commercial maize. On wheat we are targeting a profit of US$180 000. The cost of hiring equipment was high so we bought our own. It saves a lot of money,” he said.
Mr Oosthuzen said the farm also has plans to venture into horticultual production and other crops to take advantage of the abundance of water in Arcadia Dam.
Source Link : https://www.herald.co.zw/tobacco-company-moves-to-wheat-production/
