Drought predicted as Zimbabwe expects to have huge maize deficit

ZIMBABWE is expecting to harvest one million tonnes of maize from the 2011/12 summer cropping season.

This will leave the country with a deficit of nearly a million tonnes that will be covered by grain in the strategic reserve and imports.

The country has a stock of 400 000 tonnes which will add up to 1,4 million tonnes of maize including the projected maize harvest.

The nation requires about 1, 4 million tonnes of grain for human consumption and 350 000 tonnes for livestock and other uses. Announcing the results of the final crop assessment yesterday, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Joseph Made said Zimbabwe has had a very difficult farming season because of erratic rains.

He said 1 689 786 hectares were put under maize during the 2011/12 season registering a decrease of 19 percent from the 2010/11 season which saw 2 096 035ha of maize planted.

"Forty five percent of the maize that was planted this season is a write off. Last season 333 637ha of maize were written off. This year the hectarage written off rose to 722 557, an increase of 117 percent," he said.

Minister Made said 83 882ha of sorghum planted this season were written off with pearl and finger millet having 32 878ha and 5 621being written off respectively.

Forty percent of combined maize and small grains planted crop is a write off.

Minister Made said Masvingo had 155 484ha of maize written off, followed by Midlands with 137 663ha and Manicaland with 94 271 ha.

He said farmers in communal areas were contributing the greater portion of maize and small grains.

"Forty percent of the total maize yield is coming from the communal sector when we have A2 farmers who got free land which is prime in terms of soil and rainfall and have the capacity of borrowing," he said.

Minister Made said Government was concerned with the performance of the A2 farmers who only contributed 16 percent of the maize.

"Farmers in the communal areas are producing in marginal areas and have little resources but they are the ones contributing towards food security.

"A2 farmers are producing other crops but they have the national obligation to produce food. We may have to introduce the quota system and soon we are going to have discussion on the performance of the A2 farmers," he said.

Minister Made said A2 farmers cannot blame their performance on weather effects as Government was looking at the effort being put in the production of food.

On livestock, the minister said Government will soon implement a saving strategy in affected provinces particularly in Matabeleland.

"We are holding 5,2 million cattle, 500 000 sheep and three million goats," he said.

The Minister noted that the beef sector had remained with a slight increase of two percent from the 5,1million herd last season while milk production has increased by 16 percent.

"We would like to appreciate dairy farmers particularly in Matabeleland North but there are challenges of stockfeed.
There is therefore need for cotton growers and ginners to agree on prices so that we have cotton seed to feed livestock," said Minister Made.

Government, said Minister Made, had agreed to put money together to buy grain from farmers and pay them promptly.

"We have already advised farmers with grain to start delivering to the Grain Marketing Board depots," he said.

Cabinet had also agreed to immediately release money for the irrigation and livestock sectors.

Private companies have also been allowed to continue importing maize, wheat, mealie meal and flour.

Minister Made said Finance Minister Tendai Biti was looking into the issue of duty when importing grain.

Government is already implementing the grain loan scheme where everyone including A2 farmers can benefit.

Grain is being moved from areas of surplus to areas of deficit to ensure no one starves.