Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe is on course to achieve a significant grain surplus following a strong 2025/2026 summer cropping season, Cabinet has announced.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, the Minister Skills Audit and Development, Dr. Jenfan Muswere said Cabinet had approved an update on the 2025/2026 Summer Crops Marketing and the 2026 Winter Production Plan, alongside a review of the agricultural impacts of El Niño.
Dr. Muswere said the country’s food security outlook was positive following encouraging production figures recorded during the season.
“Based on the Second Round Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment Report, Cabinet noted with satisfaction that the food security outlook for the country is generally positive. Projections indicate that Zimbabwe stands to realise a surplus strategic grain reserve ranging between 550 945 metric tonnes and 964 945 metric tonnes,” he said.
Government grain stocks held by the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) as of May 6 stood at 155 210 metric tonnes, comprising maize, sorghum, millet varieties and strategic wheat reserves. In addition, the GMB is holding 62 165 metric tonnes of third-party grain stocks for private off-take companies.
Dr. Muswere revealed that the GMB had already settled more than 95 percent of its obligations for grain purchases by May 11, signalling improved efficiency in payments to farmers.
He said formal marketing of crops had also increased sharply compared to the same period last year.
“A total of 41 584 metric tonnes of crops comprising maize, soyabean, sorghum and sunflower have been formally marketed compared to 21 610 metric tonnes marketed at the same time in 2025,” he said.
To improve grain handling and storage systems, the Government will use the GMB’s 1 804 collection points and 89 depots to aggregate grain from farmers and private players. The GMB will also introduce an “In-Transit Grain Storage Facility” aimed at improving grain imports and supply chains.
Mashonaland West emerged as the country’s top-producing province after contributing 41 percent of the total 1,4 million metric tonnes harvested nationally. Manicaland followed with 195 200 metric tonnes.
Masvingo recorded the highest sorghum output at 58 995 metric tonnes out of the national total of 226 302 metric tonnes, while Mashonaland West led soyabean production with 42 372 metric tonnes from the national harvest of 70 733 metric tonnes.
The tobacco sector also registered growth in volumes sold. As of day 42 of the marketing season, farmers had sold 203,88 million kilogrammes of tobacco at an average price of US$2,59 per kilogramme.
“This represents a 35 percent increase in volume, although there was a 24 percent decline in the average price compared to the same period in 2025,” said Dr. Muswere.
Cabinet also announced plans to revive cotton production through a value chain approach supported by the COTTCO Corporate Rescue initiative and accelerated industrialization measures.
On winter cropping, Government has earmarked 125 000 hectares for wheat production, with 23 595 hectares already planted, representing a 54,6 percent increase compared to the area planted during the same period in 2025.
Meanwhile, Cabinet expressed concern over the increasing frequency of El Niño-induced droughts and their negative effects on agriculture, livestock and water resources.
Dr. Muswere said Government had adopted several mitigation and adaptation measures, including enhanced strategic grain reserve purchases, the use of Artificial Intelligence-powered silos, climate-smart agriculture interventions, strengthened early warning systems, expanded irrigation development and intensified farmer education programmes.
He said the interventions were informed by lessons learnt from the devastating 2024 drought, which Cabinet described as the worst in living memory.
New Ziana
