Nation Covers 85 Percent of Farm Land by Seed

Addis Ababa, August 17/2020( ENA) About 85 percent of the targeted 12.89 million hectares of the farm land is covered by seed this summer (Meher) season amid the spread of COVID-19, Ministry of Agriculture said. 

State Minister of Agriculture, Mandefro Nigussie told ENA that the first phase of farming activities is rightfully executed in most part of the country.

Seed sowing has started early on May and the farming work sustained steadily across the country and currently about 85 percent of the land is fully covered by seed, he noted.

The remaining 15 percent of the farm land will be covered with variety of crops at the end of this rainy season starting from September, he pointed out.

“About12.89 million hectares of land has been prepared to be covered with seeds this summer season. Currently, about 85 percent of the primed farm land has been covered with seeds. The remaining farm land will be covered by crops like chickpea, vetch and other crops while the volume of rain trims down,” he said.

Cereals and grain crops accounted the lion share seed coverage of the farm, the State Minister noted, adding the overall agricultural performance is at an acceptable level.

“In terms of the share of the farm land covered with seeds, cereal and grain crops accounted the lion share where Teff, maize, sorghum, wheat, barley and rice also have significant coverage this rainy season,” he said.

The ministry planned to reap some 360 million quintal of crop production in2020/2021 harvest seasons, he stated.

According to the State Minister, 75 percent the annual agricultural production is expected to be harvested from summer season crops.

While the rest 25 percent would also be collected from crops of the small rainy (Belg) season and irrigational scheme, he noted.

However, the state minister said the ministry working to expand irrigation infrastructure in the upcoming years to exploit its irrigation potential and raise the amount of annual agricultural production through irrigation system.

He further stated that wheat, soya beans, green mung bean and fruits are the identified agricultural products extensively to be produced through irrigation in the future.