A team of government and Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) officials are in China for negotiations that will see the country receiving 1,000 tractors ahead of the next farming season.

ZFU Director, Dzarira Kwenda, said on Tuesday that prior to the team's departure, government officials, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and farmers' organizations had consulted on how to handle the next farming season.

Farmers have of late blamed poor harvests on delays in the supply of tillage services and inputs.

They said all inputs and other requirements should be in place by mid-year to allow for proper planning and preparation for the summer cropping season.

The arrival of the tractors will enhance the District Development Fund's ability to till bigger hactarage in the upcoming agricultural season.

Meanwhile, Kwenda said the ZFU, the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union and the Commercial Farmers Union had formed committees to monitor progress in preparations for the next cropping season.

"We are receiving updates from fertilizer manufacturing companies every week on their production," he said.

"So far the companies have indicated that we are likely to face 30 to 40 percent shortage of fertilizer. With 60 percent of fertilizer now in stock, what is left is to ensure that progress toward having the remaining 40 is achieved."

Zimbabwe's agricultural sector has been affected by successive droughts since 2000, a situation which has resulted in most newly resettled farmers failing to achieve their potential.

Source: Xinhua