PRISCA MANYIWA-MASUKU
MIRROR REPORTER

KWEKWE – Kwekwe farmers have been warned against veld fires and told to build fireguards to protect their winter wheat.
The clarion call came from Kwekwe District Agricultural Extension Manager (Agritex), Virginia Samakomva during a field day held at Percychard Farm in Sherwood last week.
She urged farmers to be on high alert against diseases that affect wheat due to changes in temperatures.
“We are in the fire season and we encourage farmers to construct fire guards in order to protect their crop from veld fire and we also encourage them to get insurance cover so that they get compensation in case of emergencies.
“There are also changes in temperatures which come with aphids that attack and leaf rust which causes leaves to turn yellow. Spray your crop immediately once notice these,” said Samakomva.
Kwekwe farmers incurred losses last season when rainfall fell before they harvested their wheat and for that Samakomva urged farmers to book for combine harvesters early.
Midlands has a target of 60 000t of wheat for the 2024 winter wheat season. Minister of State for Midlands, Owen Ncube however says that the target has been surpassed by 102 %.