Zimbabwe to import 1.7 million tonnes of maize

The government last week announced that the country had harvested 511 000 tonnes of maize for the 2015/2016 production year, against a national requirement of 2,2 million tonnes.

Preliminary results from the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) had indicated that the country was likely to produce 445 600 tonnes of maize compared to last year's 742 000 tonnes, reflecting a 40 percent decline from the previous season.

Government statistics, therefore, indicate that the country will require to import maize  amounting to 1,7 million tonnes for both human and animal consumption and deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) indicate that farmers had so far delivered 175 000 tonnes.

Indications are that the GMB is holding 273 000 tonnes of maize in stock, inclusive of imports, which at an ex-GMB off-take rate of 35 000 tonnes per month, represents seven months of GMB sales.