The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
PRIVATE PLAYERS can now import maize and soya bean, as Government is now preoccupied with building national stocks in order to insulate against the forecast El Niño-affected cropping season.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said this during a press conference jointly held with the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion in Harare on Tuesday.
“Importation of maize by private players will be allowed in view of the predicted El Niño to build national stocks.
“Those with their own resources may import as much as they want beginning now. Import of mealie-meal by households will continue,” said Dr Masuka.
Finance and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the involvement of private players was meant to ensure reliable food supplies.
“Private players can import maize and soya beans duty-free. They should start now as prices may go up in the region due to the El Niño.
“In the event that the El Niño really strikes, we are assuring the nation that there will be adequate food supplies with subsidised mealie-meal,” said Prof Ncube.
Government also announced prices of strategic commodities.
Maize and traditional grain prices have been pegged at US$335 per tonne, with the average import parity for maize at US$331 per tonne.
The model uses a yield assumption of 5,55 tonnes per hectare for a farmer committing inputs in the ranges highlighted in the maize budget.
The major cost factor is fertiliser, which accounts for about 36,4 percent of the production cost of maize, at US$1 617 per hectare.
The ministers went further to announce prices for soya beans and sunflower at a 15 percent rate of return for a yield of 2, 5 tonnes per hectare.
Soya bean is pegged at US$569, with the import parity price ranging between US$415 and US$639 per tonne.
