The sustained dry spell which has persisted since the beginning of February is beginning to worry farmers.

Some farmers fear that if the rains do not fall within the next week, most of their crop, which has been promising until now, will wilt. It has also been a tale of two weather conditions in Zimbabwe, first with farmers in some areas losing crops to water-logged fields during heavy rains that fell mainly in January, then to a dry spell which now threatens mainly the maize crop.

Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana are along a belt in Southern Africa that is currently receiving no rainfall. Although weather experts have predicted that rains will start falling again around Feb. 19 and 20, some farmers remain skeptical and fear that the rains may not return, as has been the case in past agricultural seasons.

Zimbabwe expects a bumper grain harvest this year after many farmers managed to procure agricultural inputs and also received good rains during the first half of the agricultural season.

"If the rains fall within the next week I will be assured of a good harvest. But if it remains dry, then all my investment will go down the drain," said Marondera farmer Christopher Jonhera.

Tobacco farmers whose crop has matured have, however, welcomed the dry spell which enabled them to harvest their crop ahead of curing and delivering it to the auction floors which opened on Wednesday.