Sweet potato is a drought-tolerant, fast-maturing crop ideal for food security in Zimbabwe's marginal rainfall areas. It is both a nutritious food and a commercial crop with growing demand.
90
Days to Maturity
10–25 tonnes/ha
Typical Yield
Low
Water Need
High
Drought Tolerance
Optimal Soil Types
pH Range: 5.5 – 7
Light, well-drained sandy loam soils produce best root shape. Avoid compacted or waterlogged soils.
Fertilizer: 3 Nutrich Earthworm Pooptea 12 Nutrich Vermicompost 6 Compound C 5 Nutrich vermifoliar
Optimal Temp: 20–30°C
Rainfall: 350–700mm/year
Climate Zones
Largely rain-fed. Supplemental irrigation during establishment and tuber bulking improves yield markedly.
20°C
clear sky
Manicaland
39%
Humidity
4
km/h Wind
20–20°C
Min / Max Today
5-Day Forecast
Sun
25°
14°
Mon
28°
12°
Tue
29°
11°
Wed
30°
11°
Thu
29°
12°
Sweet Potato optimal climate: Temp: 20–30°C°C · Rainfall: 350–700mm/yr
Planting Months
Harvesting Months
Planting Depth: Vine cuttings 15–20cm into ridges
Spacing: 90cm ridges × 30cm
Material: Vine cuttings (30–40cm length)
Provinces
Natural Regions
Symptoms: Entry holes, larva tunnels, root rot smell
Management: Early harvest; pheromone traps; crop rotation
Symptoms: Defoliation of vines
Management: Hand-pick; Bt spray
Symptoms: Severe leaf distortion, purple feathering, yield loss >90%
Management: Use virus-tested planting material; rogue infected plants
Symptoms: Stem rot at soil level
Management: Crop rotation; avoid waterlogging
Governed Product Guidance
Crop-specific product selection, application rates, mixing, timing and treatment guidance for Sweet Potato are available only through ZEF's governed production-agronomy workflow after country readiness and product/regulatory approval.
Direct consumption, flour, animal feed, processing (starch, ethanol)
Export Potential:
Cultivation Guide
Step-by-step guide tailored to Sweet Potato in Zimbabwe
Related Crops
Crops suited to similar climate zones or soil types as Sweet Potato
Cowpea
Vigna unguiculata
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Pomegranate
Punica granatum
Guava
Psidium guajava
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Pumpkin
Cucurbita maxima / moschata
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