The Zimbabwe Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) said on Friday it has planted at least 2,000 hectares of barley for export to Russia where it is in great demand.

ARDA chief executive officer Joseph Matowanyika said a Russian company called Baltika Brewery had indicated an interest in purchasing barley from Zimbabwe.

"While they are looking at the varieties that we grow, we are going ahead with production and we expect to produce 10,000 tonnes this season," he said.

He said the ARDA was planting a small hectarage of the crop while the deal was being finalized.

There was also need to balance the production of barley with that of wheat and winter maize seed since the country did not have adequate irrigation infrastructure, he said.

Barley and wheat are both winter crops.

"We are planning to embark on a massive investment in irrigation infrastructure so that we can be able to produce enough to satisfy local demand and for export," he said.

Last year a delegation from Russia visited Zimbabwe and expressed an interest in purchasing barley for use in brewing beer in that country.

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Joseph Made later led a delegation to Russia to explore ways of cooperation in agriculture development.

It was during that visit that the ARDA and Baltika Brewery discussed the production of barley for the Russian market, one of the world's leading consumers of alcoholic beverages, particularly vodka.

Zimbabwean agricultural products are favored worldwide as they are not genetically modified.

The Zimbabwe government has banned the production of genetically modified food, as it is wary of their effects on human beings.

Source: Xinhua