Govt forecast 1.8 million tonnes of maize

Govt forecast 1.8 million tonnes of maize
Published: 26 February 2014
Government has set a preliminary maize production target of between 1,6 million metric tonnes to 1,8 million metric tonnes following a good rainfall season.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Ringson Chitsiko said this while responding to questions from parliamentarians on Government policy regarding the strategies, operations and financing of Grain Marketing Board.

"The preliminary maize production target is anything upwards of 1,6 million to 1,8 million metric tonnes. We are in the process of doing the second crop assessment which will actually give us a fair handle on the estimated production," he said. He said the crop was worth approximately $800 million.

However, Government does not have the capacity to buy all the maize produced by farmers.

"To buy all the maize from the farmers we need between $700 million to $800 million and there is no way Government can avail that kind money. That is why we limit ourselves to the mandatory physical stocks of 500 000 metric tonnes in the Strategic Grain Reserve and the rest will be available for private players," he said.

Zimbabwe's maize production has been declining over the past years due to a myriad of challenges faced by farmers, among them shortages of inputs, inadequate funding for the sector and low rainfall in some parts.

Last season, the country recorded a 17 percent drop in maize production to 799 000 tonnes from 900 000 tonnes.

The national annual maize requirement for the country is 1,2 million tonnes.
- bh24
Tags: Maize,

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