AfricaPress-Tanzania: RUKWA Regional Commissioner (RC), Joachim Wangabo has urged farmers in the region to make good use of the first rains that have begun to fall, saying they are conducive for planting.
Equally, the RC warned suppliers of agriculture inputs that the government will never hesitate to punish suppliers who will sell modern seeds, fertilizers and insecticides to farmers at hiked prices instead of indicative prices.
He made the remarks in an interview with the ‘Daily News’ reporter, who wanted to know how the government is prepared to support farmers in the 2020/21 farming season.
“The first rains have begun to fall as per the Tanzania Metrological Authority (TMA), which shows that the rains will be average, therefore I call on farmers in the region to make good use of it “ he emphasized.
Likewise, he directed agriculture input suppliers to make sure there is sufficient availability of modern seeds, fertilizers and insecticides at required qualities.
“The governments will not hesitate to take into task any trader who will be proved to go against government indicative prices ……
Suppliers must adhere to the government instruction by selling agriculture inputs to farmers as per its indicative prices, short of that you will face the full wrath of the law,” warned the RC.
He also urged agriculture officers from district councils, wards and villages to go to the field and be closer to farmers so that the latter will apply modern agriculture methods during this farming season.
Rukwa Region projects to realize bumper harvest of 1,568,067.67 on food and cash crops during the 2020/21 season.
1,464,140.63 tonnes will be of food crops while 103,927.04 tonnes will be cash crops, which means projection of production for 2020/21 season is equivalent to an increase of 22 per cent from 2019/2020 season.
During 2019/20 season, 239,603 hectare of land in the region was cultivated with maize, which is equivalent to 52 per cent of land suitable for maize farming.
“In 2019/2020 season, farmers realized 585,723 tonnes of maize, equivalent to 51 per cent of production of food crops in the region.”
Likewise, during 2020/21, Rukwa projects to cultivate 246,241 ha of maize, of which 731,500.4 tonnes will be realized,” explained the RC.
