Belarus Combine Harvesters’ Efficiency ‘Impressive’

05 OCT, 2020 - 00:10  

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka (centre), Sevenza Farm owner Mr Tawanda Garwe (right) and farm manager Mr Eric Chitomba watch as one of the combine harvesters bought under the Belarus mechanisation facility commissioned by President Mnangagwa harvests wheat in Shamva on Saturday. — Picture: Justin Mutenda

Herald Reporter

THE Government is impressed by the efficiency of combine harvesters distributed to farmers under the Belarus mechanisation facility worth over US$50 million.

The combine harvesters will go a long way in enhancing production on farms.

The machines were commissioned by President Mnangagwa last week at the Agriculture Engineering Institute in Hatcliffe, Harare, before being distributed to different provinces.

On Saturday, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka made a follow-up on the combined harvesters to assess their performance.

He went to Sevenza Farm in Goromonzi where he expressed satisfaction, saying the combine harvesters will increase efficiency during harvesting period.

“We are quite pleased with the efficiency of the combine harvesters, which can do up to 30 hectares a day. Secondly, it can cut wheat at higher moisture content of up 25 percent,” said Minister Masuka.

The combine harvesters perform multiple operations like reaping, threshing and winnowing at once, hence saving time and effort. They also eliminate grain loss during manual cutting of the crop.

Sevenza Farm owner Mr Tendai Garwe said he was very happy with the performance of the new machines.

He hailed the Belarus mechanisation facility, saying it will enhance farming operations. “We welcome the programme,” said Mr Garwe.

“The major challenge is that we have few combine harvesters, but with such facilities, we will now be able to harvest our crop in time before the rainy season.”

The Belarus mechanisation facility is part of the deals struck by President Mnangagwa during his tenure as Vice President in 2015 and as President in January 2019.

The equipment, which is the first batch, include 163 tractors, 19 combine harvesters and low bed trucks.

Zimbabwe and Belarus agreed on another deal that will see Zimbabwe getting another tranche of 3 000 tractors.

As a result of the tight cooperation between Belarus and Zimbabwe, both governments agreed on the supply to Zimbabwe of machinery and equipment made in Belarus for agriculture and timber industry.

The two countries are developing joint projects in geology, farming and transport, as well as the construction of a solar power plant near Harare.