The Sunday Mail
Maize farming in Zimbabwe is not a lucrative sector due to high production costs and therefore farmers should not expect to make super profits, analysts have said. Professor Mandivamba Rukuni said maize has never been traded as a cash crop in its history therefore farmers should not plan to grow maize for commercial purposes, but for food security.
“The crop has never been produced as a cash crop but for food security reasons and therefore maize can never be separated from political control and funding due to the high production costs associated,” said Prof Rukuni.
He said it was against this background that Government feels obliged to announce maize producer prices while farmers on the other hand feel they have a right to subsidies.
However, Prof Rukuni said subsidies will not improve the production levels of maize in the country since this would be controlled by demand and supply forces in urban and rural markets.
He criticised food handouts by both Government and non-governmental organisations as the major drivers of low productivity in the country.
