Harare, (New Ziana) – Based on the second round of the Crop, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA) findings, the country is expecting a surplus strategic grain reserve ranging between 550 945 metric tonnes and 964 945 metric tonnes, a top government official said on Tuesday.
Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda said current Government stocks held at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) as of 03 June 2026 stood at 156 603 metric tonnes.
Additionally, the GMB holds a total of 70 865.60 metric tonnes in third-party grain stocks.
“A total of 1 928 505 hectares under maize has been harvested to date, with a volume of 2 824 110 metric tonnes. A total of 528 076 hectares of sorghum has been harvested to date, yielding 323 002 metric tonnes. A total of 56 562 hectares of soya beans have been harvested, giving 119 067 metric tonnes.
“As at 03 June 2026, a total of 127 214 metric tonnes of crops comprising maize, soya bean, sorghum, and sunflower had been formally marketed, compared to the 78 265 metric tonnes marketed at the same time in 2025,” Soda said, adding that there was a 63 percent increase in marketed crops.
Cabinet also heard that as of 20 May 2026, the GMB had settled 100 percent of its US dollar obligations and 82.73 percent of ZiG payments, with ZiG 50 192 313.52 outstanding. Transporters are still owed ZiG 192 000 000.00 from 2025.
It was also revealed that a total of 309.795 million kg of tobacco had been sold to date at an average price of US$2.51 per kg.
“This reflects a 14 percent increase in volume and a 25 percent decrease in the average price, compared to the previous seasons. Tobacco production has been on an upward trend since 2010. However, the average price has fluctuated over the years.
Tobacco exports remain firm, with cumulative tobacco exports as at 4th June, 2026 reaching 102.50 million kg valued at US$642.61 million at an average price of US$6.27 per kg,” Soda said.
He also stated that sesame buying had commenced, with seventeen buyers registered for the current season and merchants offering producer prices ranging from US$0.60 per kg to US$1.00 per kg.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has reportedly confiscated 13 000 kg of sesame in Chiredzi and Mbire during an operation aimed at discouraging smuggling of the crop.
Soda said the Zimbabwe-China Protocol for sesame is being pursued to enable Zimbabwe to directly export the high-value crop to China.
Regarding wheat production, he revealed that the targeted hectarage is 125 000 hectares, of which 113 503 hectares have been planted to date, translating to 91 percent of the targeted area.
Meanwhile, barley production remains focused on supplying the brewing industry, and a total of 7 000 hectares has been contracted.
A total of 243 850 metric tonnes of Irish potatoes is expected from the 9 000 hectares planted and, according to Soda, 92 400 metric tonnes have already been produced from 3 300 hectares, at an average yield of 28 metric tonnes per hectare, compared to the 26 metric tonnes realised in 2025.
Meanwhile, Cabinet also noted and approved the 2026/2027 Summer Crops, Horticulture, Fisheries, and Livestock Plan, which seeks to guarantee national food security against the backdrop of unprecedented compound fertiliser pressures.
Cabinet adopted measures that include the implementation of an enhanced strategic grain reserve purchase system, the use of the new AI-powered silos to strengthen the Strategic Grain Reserve through strategic purchases, accelerating climate-smart agriculture interventions, including irrigation development and agro-ecological tailoring, and sustaining the Presidential Input Programme gratitude collection.
Other measures approved for adoption include strengthening early warning and advisory systems, enhancing farmer education and extension services capacity, expediting the commissioning of the Sable Chemicals ammonium plant, activating the Africa Risk Capacity sovereign insurance policy to cover drought-related losses, and facilitating the duty-free importation of fertiliser.
New Ziana
