Harare — RAINS received to date in the 2008/2009 farming season are adequate to ensure a successful season, an official said recently.

Zimbabwe Farmers Union vice president Mr Edward Raradza told New Ziana that the rainfall pattern had been good in most areas.

"All farmers who got inputs early in the season can expect a good crop," he said.

He said there had been no reports of misuse of Government-funded inputs by beneficiaries.

"Farmers who have benefited from Government agriculture input support programmes have put their resources in the ground and not on the parallel market," he said.

Farmers had in the past diverted inputs to the parallel market for quick profits.

He said the continued supply of inputs by the Government through the Champion Farmer programme was still necessary.

"Though we are late into the season, some maize seed such as the four series varieties which need an average of two to three months to mature can still be planted," he said.

It would no longer be viable to plant the six and seven series varieties which required more water, he said.

Farmers with access to irrigation, he said, could continue to concentrate on the maize crop.

Mr Raradza however, said there was urgent need to improve the supply of fertilizers.

"Farmers did not get all the inputs at the start of the season and Government should ensure that fertilizer is readily available so as not to derail the season," he said.

He called on farmers to also plant traditional drought resistant crops such as sorghum and millet.

"We need to preserve these traditional crops, he said, because food security in the region depends on them."