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Erratic rains dampen 2025 crop outlook

Erratic rains from the onset have dampened expectations in the 2025 agricultural season with experts stating that the crop outlook in some parts of the country is pointing to low harvest.

Spot-checks in some parts of the country have shown that some areas received their last rains on January 1 and 2 this year, a situation that has led to drying up of some crops.

Priscilla Baluwa from Kwa Njewa Village in Mulanje uproots some of the dry maize.

The dry spells come against the background of the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) 2024/25 climate outlook that forecasted that from January to March 2025, most parts of the country would experience normal to above normal rainfall.

In an interview yesterday, Balaka district director of agricultural services David Ali said so far, about 28 000 hectares of crops, mainly maize, have been affected by the dry spell in all the district’s extension planning areas (EPAs).

He feared that the affected hectarage may increase as most parts of the district continue experiencing the dry spell, which is against the weather forecast of normal to above normal rainfall by this month.

Said Ali: “Out of the 28 000 hectares that have been affected by the dry spell, 10 695 hectares are permanently wilting. This means farmers have to uproot and replant new crops.”

The dry spells have not spared tobacco farmers in the Central and Northern regions.

Kasungu Agricultural Development Division (ADD) programmes manager Yusuf Shaibu, whose ADD covers Kasungu, Dowa, Ntchisi and Mchinji districts, said in the circumstances, there is a possibility that this year’s tobacco production would drastically go down as most of the tobacco leaves dried up due to the dry spell.

He said: “Most tobacco plants have completely dried up and cannot be replaced because tobacco production is a long process that starts from the nursery.

“Farmers cannot go back to their nurseries and start sowing tobacco seeds now. Even a few tobacco plants that survived do not give hope because soon they will start flowering.”

Shaibu said some of the districts in his area have started receiving normal rains and expressed hope that if the rains continue some farmers will have better maize and soya harvest.

In separate interviews, Mzimba North and Rumphi directors of agricultural services Owen Kumwenda and Hastings Nyirongo respectively said tobacco farms have also been highly affected by dry spells.

They both said maize crops that were replanted in January are performing well and expressed hope for good maize production if the rains continue.

Agricultural expert Joyce Nababi, who is an environmental chemistry lecturer at Mzuzu University, is on record as having encouraged farmers to cover soil around plants with vegetative material to preserve moisture.

Additional reporting TEMWA MHONE, Correspondent

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