The government says the country has sufficient maize and small grains stocks that are expected to last until next season.

In a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said the current stock stands at 204 084 metric tonnes of maize and 41 464 metric tonnes (mt) of traditional grains. She said:

Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that as at 9 July, 2023, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) had in stock a total of 204 084 mt of maize and 41 464 mt of traditional grains.

Millers and stock-feed manufacturers are being allocated 27 000 mt, SILO Foods 16 000 mt per month, and an additional 10 000 mt will be sold to Rwanda.

Regarding wheat, Mutsvangwa said the country’s current stocks stood at 140 029 mt, which is sufficient to provide eight months’ cover, as the monthly allocation stands at 21 000 mt. She said:

Cabinet wishes to highlight that 69.8 percent of the country’s wheat is being produced by A1 farmers. The nation is informed that a record 86 466 hectares have been put under wheat compared to 80 882 hectares last year.

The area planted is 14.5 percent above the initial target of 85 000 hectares, and 96 percent of the revised target of 90 000 hectares.

The bulk of the planted wheat or 69.8 percent is by resettled farmers (A1 and A2), while the communal farmers contributed 6.95 percent.

The bulk of the planted wheat is now at the vegetative stage and is in good condition. Quelea bird control activities are underway, including the aerial spraying of nesting points using drones. The required pesticides are also readily available.

Mutsvangwa also said Cabinet deliberated at length on the importance of paying farmers on time for the delivery of all crops.

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