Harare, (New Ziana) – The country has enough strategic grain reserves to last close to a year at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), a Cabinet Minister has said.
Briefing the media after the last Cabinet session for 2023 on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said his Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development counterpart, Dr Anxious Masuka had told Cabinet that as of December 10, the GMB had 235 095 metric tonnes of grain in stock.
The grain comprised 188 353mt of maize, 46 742mt of traditional grains which, at prevailing monthly consumption rate of 23 000mt per month, would last the country 10.2 months.
The country’s current wheat stocks stood at 242 508mt, which is sufficient to provide 11.5 months cover at a monthly draw-down rate of 21 000mt.
The report on the available grain come at a time the country and much of the Southern African region is faced with an El Nino-induced drought.
Dr Muswere said the GMB had a 46.8 percent market share of maize, 7.3 percent of soya beans, 41.3 percent sunflower, 46 percent of wheat and 63.6 percent of traditional grains, translating to a 39.4 percent share of the total grain available in the local market.
An additional 313 719mt of grain, comprising 186 341mt of maize, 121 549mt of wheat and 5 829mt of wheat flour was imported into the country by the private sector between April 1 and December 3.
At the same time, 1 710mt of maize was marketed at the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX)at an average price of US$310 per tonne, 262.98mt of soya beans at an average price of US$500 per tonne and 234.82mt of wheat at an average price of US$400 per tonne. A total of 31 warehouses were registered under the warehouse receipt system.
Turning to tobacco, Dr Muswere said 227.5 million kg of tobacco worth US$1.196 billion was exported at an average price of US$5.26 per kg compared to 182 million kg worth US$880.677 million exported during the same period last year at US$4.83 per kg.
Meanwhile, 85.295mt of graded cotton had been delivered across the country as at December 6 compared to 55.927mt at the same time last year. Cottco has received 69.419mt of seed so far.
He said Cabinet had noted that rainfall was expected throughout the country this week but advised farmers that the rainfall season is going to be short, with 2 877 000ha targeted for planting summer crops.
“Of the total hectarage, 867 000ha will be financed by the climate proofed Presidential Inputs Supply Scheme (pfumvudza/Intwasa), and the rest by CBZ, AFC, NMB and other banks, the private sector and individual farmers,” said Dr Muswere.
“The country has sufficient seed in stock to meet demand, with 40.8 percent of the available maize seed being of the early to ultra-early maturity varieties.
Significant progress has been recorded in farmer training and in the preparation of pfumvudza/intwasa plots. Farmers have generally responded positively to climate proofing interventions during this El Niño year, with 87 percent of the targeted 11.85 million plots having been prepared.
He said government has instituted immediate remedial measures, including borehole drilling, hay bailing and enhanced disease management to alleviate the poor livestock conditions in drier provinces of Matebeleland North and South and Masvingo.
*New Ziana*
