Maize harvest forecast at 760 000 tonnes

The country is expecting about 760 000 tonnes of maize from the 2018-19 summer cropping season nationwide according to the crop and livestock assessment recently conducted by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.

In an interview on the sidelines of a field day at Lesaffre Geluk Farm in Gweru, yesterday, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (Retired) said the expected yield will not be able to sustain the country until the next harvesting period

Minister Shiri said the country will have to import a significant amount of maize to complement grain in the country’s Strategic Grain Reserve cover the deficit.

He said livestock were in a better condition.

“Yes, we carried out a crop and livestock assessment. On the crop part it’s now an open secret that the last summer season was not that good. We had a false start to the season and the rains came very late. So the rainfed crops didn’t do well and as a result we won’t be able to produce enough to feed the country.

GMB recently announced that the national granary was left with 814 922 metric tonnes of maize.