Acting President Retired General Dr Constantino Chiwenga
says panic buying and hoarding tendencies are fuelling shortages and price
distortions.
Dr Chiwenga was speaking at the launch of the second phase
of the centre pivots irrigation facility under the crop production programme,
held at Farnley farm in Chegutu East constituency today.
The Acting President launched the second phase of the
centre pivot irrigation facility at a time the country is experiencing
unpredictable rainfall patterns that are inconsistent with the traditional
farming season.
The irrigation facility will thus mitigate the impact of
mid season droughts and El niƱo effects that Zimbabwe is subjected to.
After a brief tour of the farm, Cde Chiwenga who was
accompanied by Acting Chief Secretary Mr George Charamba, proceeded to address
hundreds of Zanu PF supporters from surrounding areas, cabinet ministers,
government officials and captains of industry who converged at Farnley farm to
witness the launch.
“Let’s build our nation and let’s desist from promoting
tendencies like panic buying or using social media platforms to spread
misleading information,” he said.
Forex is in high demand with various sectors sharing the
little that the country is generating, noted Dr Chiwenga while imploring
Zimbabweans to develop a culture of pulling in one direction to achieve set
goals.
Turning to agriculture, the Acting President said the country
needs farmers with a business perspective and beneficiaries of the irrigation
facility will be subjected to an approved selection criterion.
The irrigation facility programme is a
public-private-partnership arrangement between the government and a company
called Pedstock Investments.
Other speakers at the launch included Lands, Agriculture,
Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Retired Air Chief Marshal
Perrance Shiri, Minister of State for Mashonaland West Cde Mary Mliswa,
Pedstock Investments Managing Director Mr Dror Jackson, house of assembly
member for Chegutu East Cde Webster Shamhu and owner of the farm Mr Ngoni
Chirikure.
To date twenty by forty (20*40) hectares centre pivots have
been delivered into the country while a further 20 kilometres of pipes for
irrigation have been secured. zbc
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