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Maize import bill cut as harvest doubles

07 Jun, 2014 - 23:06 0 Views
Maize import bill cut as harvest doubles White Maize

The Sunday Mail

maizeZimbabwe has begun to cut its maize import bill as farmers are estimated to harvest at least 1,4 million metric tonnes of the staple crop this year.
In the 2011 / 2012 farming season, the country only managed to produce 1 million metric tonnes due to a largely unfavourable weather pattern and limited funding.

A total of 45 percent of the planted crop was written off, forcing the country to seek imports in order to meet its annual grain demand of 2,1 million tonnes.

However, this year, farmers have surpassed the previous season’s harvest, thereby significantly cutting the deficit to 600 000 metric tonnes.
This marked production improvement can largely be attributed to the Presidential Input Scheme which saw more than 1,6 million small-holder farmers benefit. Each farmer received 10 kilogrammes of seed, 50kg bag of compound D fertiliser, lime and ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

The rainfall was also conducive for optimum production.
It is believed 75 percent of the crop was produced by small-scale farmers.

According to the Final 2013 / 2014 Crop and Livestock Assessment Report, which was presented at an all-stakeholders’ meeting in Harare last week, the country will attain a harvest double that of about 700 000 metric tonnes achieved last year.

The meeting was hosted by the Agriculture Coordination and Information Forum Zimbabwe (ACIZ).
Although there is a slight shortfall from the annual requirement of 2,1 million metric tonnes, most small-scale farmers are believed to have secured a surplus for commercial purposes.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said the country had enough maize for household food security with high expectations that small-scale farmers will contribute the bulk of the strategic grain reserve.

“Small-scale farmers have produced 75 percent of the crop after they benefited from the 2013 / 14 Presidential Input Scheme. We are sure that there is enough maize for household food security,” said Mr Chabikwa.

“Although exact figures cannot be given since harvesting is yet to reach its peak, we are sure that at least one million tonnes will be sold by farmers to either the Grain Marketing Board or the private sector.”

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice-president Mr Berean Mukwende said even some dry parts of the country had a good harvest this year.
“I do not have figures at hand, but the bulk of maize was produced in Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces while the southern regions of Masvingo and Matabeleland provinces also performed well, accounting for close to 30 percent of the entire produce,” said Mr Mukwende.

He attributed the good harvest to the good rains, especially in drought-prone areas while areas that usually experience high rainfall also received good rains.

However, farmers said the Government should ensure the GMB pays farmers on time to ensure they that quickly sell their grain. The increase in maize production is a step towards achieving food security as enshrined in the country’s economic blue print, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), which, among other key objectives, aims to restore household food security and nutrition through financial support for farmers.

It also focuses on the timeous distribution of inputs. Under the Food Security and Nutrition Cluster, Government targets the production of at least 1, 95 million metric tonnes of maize by 2018.

It is planning to avail adequate and affordable inputs timeously, recapitalise Agribank and implement contract farming.
The Presidential Input Support Scheme would cater for vulnerable groups.

Zim-Asset also targets providing small-holder farmers with subsidised agriculture inputs, timely preparation of summer and winter input programmes, promoting the production of drought, high-yielding and heat-tolerant varieties.

It is also advocating that the authorities institute support measures for all beneficiaries of the land reform programme to enable them to dedicate a certain quota to cereal crop and small grain production.

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