Increase Gumbo

Mirror Reporter

CHIREDZI – Rabson Guruvheti is the 2022 Tongaat Hullet inaugural Overall Best Out grower Sugarcane Farmer of The Year after he, among other considerations managed to produce 128 tonnes of sugarcane per hectare.

Guruvheti came first at the awards that were introduced by Tongaat for the first time this year. The ceremony was held at Triangle Country Club a week ago and 23 other farmers walked away with various prizes.

Tongaat Corporate Executive Dahlia Garwe said the awards will be held annually to cement the relationship between the outgrowers and Tongaat.

For also producing 4 198 tonnes of cane, last season, Guruvheti who started sugarcane farming as a medium scale farmer in 2011 walked away with prizes including 45 bags of Urea, 20 bags of Single SuperPhosphate(SSP), 20 bags of Muriate of Potash(MoP), 20litres of Prawl, 20l of Sencor, 20 l of Monosodium Methanearsonate(MSMA), a certificate and a trophy.

Apart from being the overall Best Farmer, Guruvheti was the Best Farmer in the Medium Category. There was a total of six categories in which farmers competed namely; Best Female Prize, Best Youth Outgrower, Best Small Scale Plot, Best Medium Plot and Best Large Plot Some 1 145 farmers drawn from five milling groups namely; Triangle Mill Group, Triangle Estate, Hippo Valley Estates Mill Group, Hippo Valley Mill Group and Mkwasine Mill Group were considered for the competitions.

Guruvheti was also noted for his serious financial discipline and taking extension advice seriously.

Speaking in an interview with The Mirror, he said that the secret to great yields is to listen to extension workers and believe in God.

“My secret to this achievement is discipline, listening to Extension advise and above all believe in God. I am a Zion Apostolic Church member and everything I do I put God first,” said Guruvheti.

Zimbabwe Sugarcane Association Experiment Station (ZSAES), Director Dr Audrey Mabveni was the guest of honor.

The other winners were Phylis Muregwi (Triangle Mill Group), Daisy Jani (Triangle Estate Mill Group), Joice Muyambo (Hippo Valley Estates Mill Group, Mirriam Mudaniso (Hippo Valley Mill Group) and Rumbidzai Mukwiza of Mkwasine Mill Group.

In the best youth outgrower; Shepherd Mabika of Triangle Milling Group, Nigel Ziro of Triangle Estate Milling Group, Tinashe Mutembwa of Hippo Valley Estates Milling Group, Diana Mashamhanda and Amon Chikorose of Mkwasine Mill group were the winners.

In the small plots category; Lot Sanangurai (Triangle Mill Group), Musisinyani Livonbo (Triangle Estate Mill Group), Rodrick Makanyi (Hippo Valley Estates Mill Group), Ishmael Chiguwo (Hippo Valley Mill Group) and Trust Mabeze of Mkwasine Mill Group were the best farmers.

In the medium plots category; Luckson Guhwoof Triangle Mill Group, Wilfred Manyiyo of Triangle Estate Mill Group, Ranganai Pedzisai of Hippo Valley Estates Mill Group, Guruvheti of Hippo Valley Mill Group and Tafadzwa Gwandiziva of Mkwasine were winners.

In the large plots category; only 3 mill groups had representatives and Mangwa Quip of Triangle Mill Group had the best yield of 30 982 tonnes of sugarcane in 2022, whilst Elias Chipfere of Mkwasine produced 8160 tonnes, Vusimusi Ntinji Hippo Mill Group produced 4369 tonnes and the trio were given each 27 bags of Urea, 12 bags of SSP, 12 bags of MoP, 20l Prowl, 20l Sencor20l MSMA.