Output for major food crops drops marginally

Food production for major crops declined during the second season of this year compared to same season in 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources Crop Assessment report for 2013 season B indicates.The report indicated that output for maize, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, wheat, yam, fruits and vegetables all dropped. Maize production declined by 3 per cent from 166,649 tonnes in the second season of 2012 to 161,935 tonnes last season. Wheat dropped by 18 per cent from 68,026 tonnes in 2012 to 55,744 tonnes in the same period this year and Irish potatoes declined from 836,110 tonnes to 808,639 tonnes last season, reflecting a 3 per cent drop. Sweet potatoes output went down marginally by 2 per cent from 593,517 tonnes in to 581,132 tonnes during the same period. Fruit and vegetable output declined by 10 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively.Production of yams declined by 3 per cent from 38,560 tonnes in 2012 to 37,362 tonnes during the same period this year.According to the report, soya beans registered a tremendous 58 per cent increase in production from 8,327 tonnes in 2012 to 13,120 tonnes last season. The production of ground nuts increased by 30 per cent from 5,258 tonnes to 6,815 tonnes.Rice increased by 3 per cent, peas and cassava 2 per cent, bananas were up by 1 per cent and production of beans went up by the same margin.The report indicated that the total area harvested per hectare per crop increased from 967,310 hectares to 975,454 hectares.However, despite an increase of 1 per cent in the total area harvested, there is expected to be a food surplus of 558,000 tonnes by December, and loses of 283 tonnes, or 15 per cent of the total output.Jean de Dieu Dushimimana, the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) crop intensification programme extension and mobilisation officer, attributed poor crop performance to dry spell. “Last season farmers received minimal rainfall, with some places receiving as little as 20 to 50mm of rain in April and May. This was not enough to facilitate crop growth. That’s why we are now encouraging farmers to embrace irrigation,” he said.While in April, a large part of south-East of the country received almost the same amount of rainfall during the same season last year, most of north-Western part of the country received below normal rainfall when compared to the same season last year, he added.Crop performance next season is expect to double performance, according to Innocent Musabyimana, the deputy director in charge of agricultural extension at RAB.“We advised district officials to mobilise farmers to prepare land and plant early. So far, over 60 per cent of arable land across the country is ready and farmers have started planting,” he said.

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Output for major food crops drops marginally