Source: Commercial rice production soon | The Herald August 28, 2017
Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
Government has come up with a programme to promote commercial production of rice across the country and a support price is being negotiated. The development came after a realisation that rice was a major crop that was being consumed by most households in the country. Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minster, Dr Joseph Made, yesterday said rice had been declared a major cereal crop.
“As a result, the Department of Research and Specialist Services and some seed houses, particularly Seed Co, have begun looking at the rice seed,” he said.
“I am aware of rice grain in the rural areas. Soon, I will be announcing a raft of measures to facilitate development of rice to push it to commercial level. We fully recognise efforts by small holder farmers who have been growing rice and we want to give the crop great prominence.”
Dr Made thanked the Chinese government for availing a specialist in rice production, who is working with the ministry.
“We have a Chinese rice specialist who had been working in the ministry for the past four years,” he said.
“We will also be discussing with the Japanese ambassador as we are developing a major irrigation scheme in the Nyakomba area to see how we can resuscitate rice production in the area.
“We will also be growing the crop in Matabeleland North at Arda Jotsholo Estate and Tsholotsho area.”
Dr Made said the Gwayi-Shangani Dam project was going to be instrumental in the production of rice, as well as the flood plains of Tsholotsho and Tokwe Mukosi.
“There are many other areas, including Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, especially in Mhondoro-Ngezi, parts of Midlands and Masvingo where the crop can be grown,” he said.
Rice can be successfully produced in all low lying areas. GMB will start accepting rice as a crop and we are working initially on the price that will be offered for the crop.”
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