PRISCA MANYIWA-MASUKU
MIRROR REPORTER

KWEKWE – Wheat farmer, Pritchard Zhou of Percychard Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe is expecting to harvest 192t of wheat from 32h under the crop this season.
However, Zhou bemoaned Bank interest rates which he says are at 15% on US$ borrowed and this was crippling business. He urged Government to intervene.
Speaking on the sidelines of a field day held at his farm last week, Zhou said his production will jump from 100 tonnes last year to 192 which is a 92% increase.
The production per hectare is 6 tonnes, said Zhou.
He said the improvement is due to the challenges that he has overcome from the previous season.
“This year we are expecting a bumper harvest on our winter wheat production season, we look forward to harvest six tonnes per hectare. Last year we harvested 100 tonnes.
“We used to have challenges with Zinwa and Zesa and we thank Government intervention that saw us getting uninterrupted power and water. We also got inputs on time and we also got a tractor under the AFC program. Last year we did not have a tractor, “ said Zhou.
However, Zhou bemoaned the interest rates charged by banks on loans and appealed for government intervention.
“The biggest challenge we have now is on interest rates charged by banks, they are too much its about 15% interest in United States Dollars which sometimes make it difficult for farmers to pay back so we need some government intervention in that regard,” he said.
In addition, Zhou encouraged farmers to invest in irrigation farming incase of dry seasons.
“Farmers should sacrifice to get loans and invest in irrigation farming because if we manage to conquer in agriculture it means we will be able to grow in other sectors of the economy. Wheat requires water and enough ferlizer without fertiliser the output will be very poor so farmers should sacrifice for the best,” he said.