Mozambique is set to reduce its wheat imports by 20 per cent over the next three years following the implementation of the governmen t ‘s “green revolution” strategy.
PANA reports, quoting a report in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily, Noticias, that to that end and for the first time, the government will promote wheat produ c tion on 11,000 hectares of land to be sown with wheat for the 2008/09 farming se a son.
Speaking during a staff meeting on wheat production, Mozambique’s Agriculture Mi nister Soares Nhaca, said the Mozambican and Zimbabwean governments will soon si g n a memorandum to ensure distribution of 1,000 tons of wheat seeds of the Nduna v ariety among local farmers.
Besides the supply of seeds, the authorities also decided to bring together all stakeholders in the wheat chain on research, technical assistance to farmers, pr o motion of production, marketing and processing.
Current production of wheat in the country stands at 3,000 tonnes, grown on the Angonia plateau in the western province of Tete, while total domestic demand is e stimated at 472,000 tons.
With this, the country has to import the balance, about 469,000 tonnes, to meet domestic needs (mainly for bread in the urban areas).
The government sees the 2008/09 agricultural year as the starting point for reve rsing Mozambique’s wheat deficit.
In 2009, the government expects farmers to cultivate 11,500 hectares of wheat, p art of which will be used to produce seeds to support the following farming seas o n when wheat production is expected to cover 29,875 hectares.
Records dating back to the colonial era show clearly that vast regions in Mozamb ique have a history of wheat product.
