Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 29492, member: 2262"] Zimbabwe just bought 800 new farm machines from Belarus to help farmers work better. The big purchase includes 700 tractors, 80 combine harvesters, and 30 grain carriers. All these machines will arrive throughout the current year. Farmers can choose from different tractor sizes ranging from 81 to 155 horsepower. The government plans to sell these tractors to farmers through a very farmer-friendly payment plan. You only need to pay over three years with a low 7.5 percent yearly interest rate. No extra property is needed as backup for the loan. Any farmer, farm business, or farming group can apply to buy these machines. Mr. Leonard Munamati from Agricultural Advisory Services talked about these plans with reporters. He said these machines add to the equipment they already have. The new machines will help farmers work faster during harvest time. Each combine harvester can clear about 10 hectares daily, bringing total daily harvesting power to around 4,000 hectares. Since 2019, Belarus has sent Zimbabwe 2,000 tractors and 80 harvesters. At this moment, Zimbabwe has 15,308 tractors working across farms nationwide. These machines have prepared 2.8 million hectares of farmland as of February 6, 2025. Belarus opened a company called BiSON Agro Machinery in Harare to keep all these machines running properly. Mr. Andrei Kloeinov from BiSON promised farmers they would always have access to parts and services. He explained machines need regular upkeep to stay useful instead of becoming junk after breaking down. Belarus engineers train local mechanics on how to fix and run all this equipment. Farmers who want to buy need several things ready - a bank account, tenure documents, project plans, and payment arrangements. The timing looks perfect, as crops across Zimbabwe look very healthy right now. About 65 percent of maize plants have reached their reproductive stage and appear healthy. Early planted corn makes up 15 percent of all fields and has reached the soft-dough to hard-dough growth phases. The remaining 20 percent also shows good progress, moving through normal growth stages. Tobacco farmers have started harvesting irrigated plants, and selling has begun. Traditional grain crops look promising as well. Officials urge farmers to control weeds and watch for harmful pests like fall armyworms. They recommend varying pesticides after spraying and collecting water whenever possible as they prepare for winter planting season. [/QUOTE]

Name