Power Cuts Delay Transplanting in Mashonaland

Source from:  tr.itsmyiq.com Sep 20, 2007 09/21/2007

A wave of power cuts that has hit Mashonaland Central is delaying tobacco transplanting in the province and only two per cent of the targeted 18,000 ha of land has been transplanted to tobacco so far, according to a report in The Herald. Provincial tobacco specialist, Tinomuonga Hove, said transplanting of the early irrigated crop, which had begun two weeks ago, was expected to be completed by the beginning of November. Hove said the power cuts, coupled with delays by the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe in releasing fuel to tobacco farmers, had delayed the transplanting process. The government is reportedly turning to generators to try to prevent such disruptions and has so far bought about 150. But it was not clear from the report where the fuel would be found to power these generators. Enditem