Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief FIVE months ago, Mr John makhaya Masuku (37) — a farmer from Somabula area bought three brand new tractors and an array of hay baling equipment as he wanted to expand his business.
The three tractors landed at a combined cost of US$57 000 and a baler at US$9 000.
Already the equipment had done 14 000 hay bales valued at US$21 000, which he was selling at US$1,50 each.
Money – Image taken from Pixabay
However, tragedy struck on Wednesday when all the equipment and bales were reduced to ashes by a veld fire leaving the farmer stranded and stressed.
A distraught Mr Masuku told the Chronicle that the loss was morale sapping.
“Kunzima ndoda ukulandisa sile stress esinzima hey indaba yakhona inde kakhulu (It’s difficult to narrate what happened. I’m stressed. It’s a long story),” said Mr Masuku.
He said the tractors and equipment were bought in February this year.
“I bought these three tractors for US$57 000. The two huge 75 HP came at a cost of US$45 000 and the small one for US$12 000. There was also a baler at US$9 000. So, the cost of the new equipment was US$66 000. Already the equipment had done 14 000 hay bales which I was selling at US$1,50 each,” said Mr Masuku.
He said he specialised in baling and they were putting together the hay baling equipment in order to grow the business.
“We were making hay bales in preparation for the farming season. The major customers for these are dairy farmers. Then it so happened that our farm workers got paid at the end of the month and they left the project site unattended, parked the tractors side by side with the hay bales, a huge pile stock of about 14 000 bales, covered with a canvas tent,” said Mr Masuku.
He said, while the employees were all away, a fire broke out and there was no one to control it.
“The boys are very much aware that the farm must have someone at any given time but on that particular day, they all decided to go and enjoy their salaries. Tragedy struck and the fire ravaged through the farm and the brand new tractors and the baler and the hay bales were reduced to ashes,” said Mr Masuku.
Mr Masuku appealed for assistance from farmers around the Somabula area in terms of tilling the land so that he prepares the land for the coming cropping season.
“I am appealing to Government to help us replace the tractors so that we can continue with our work,” he said.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Midlands provincial spokesperson Mr Oswald Ndlovu said from July 31, Midlands province has lost about 8 500 hectares to veld fires.
“The Somabula case is the worst so far and I am appealing to farmers to take fireguard construction seriously as it helps in protecting properties, machinery and farm produce. We have been training firefighting teams as well as engaging communities on veld fire management,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said the agency had instituted a village fire model in Somabula where community members are capacitated on veld fire management.
“We will soon be giving them fire beaters, sickles and beehives. The fire beaters will be used when putting out fires while sickles are for thatch grass harvesting which helps in reducing biomass. We will give the farmers 70 sickles, 80 fire beaters and 15 beehives for this pilot project,” he said.
Most veld fires are started by people who throw away burning cigarette stubs, burn vegetation to prepare land for ploughing, use fires to hunt or smoke out bees. Some people who make fires to warm themselves while waiting for buses also leave without putting out the fire.
The 2021 fire season destroyed a total of 408 366 hectares of land representing an 84,97 percent increase compared to the same period in 2020 when 220 778 hectares were destroyed.
The veld fire season spans from July 31 to October 31.
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