🫘 Soyabean farming in Zimbabwe
Excellent rotation crop that fixes nitrogen and supplies the local stockfeed and oil industry.
- Season / planting window
- Plant late Nov to end Dec; avoid planting after 5 January.
- Best regions
- Natural Regions I, II and IIa on well-drained clay-loam soils.
- Spacing / population
- 45 cm rows, 20–25 plants per metre ≈ 300 000–400 000 plants/ha.
- Expected yield
- 2–3.5 t/ha.
Stage by stage
Land preparation
Sep – Nov
- Aim for pH 5.5–6.5; lime early if acidic.
- Plough and disc to a fine, firm seedbed — soyabean seed is sensitive to clods and crusting.
- Ensure good drainage; waterlogging kills nodules.
Fertiliser and chemicals
- FertiliserCompound L (5:18:10) or SSP basal
250–350 kg/ha · At planting
- FertiliserBradyrhizobium inoculant
1 sachet per 80–100 kg seed · At planting
Replaces most nitrogen fertiliser — do not apply heavy N.
Field tip
Never plant soyabean on the same land two years running.
The rest of this soyabean guide
- 5 more stages, from land preparation through to storage
- 5 more fertiliser, herbicide, pesticide and fungicide entries with rates
- All field tips, plus the printable and downloadable version
- Your own crop, cost and activity records in the FarmInvest app
Full farming cycle guides
Free and complete — land, equipment, crops, inputs and harvest.