Over 746 000 hectares of maize planted to date

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter

AS planting for the 2024/2025 summer cropping season intensifies, over 746 000 hectares of maize have been planted under
various support programmes to date, being 41.5 percent of the target.

This comes as the Government is targeting to boost the production output of key crops to 4,1 million tonnes, including 2,7 million tonnes of maize this summer.

Cabinet on Tuesday received and noted an update on the Food Security Outlook to March 2025 and the 2024/2025 Summer Season Plan, as presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka.

In a post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the 2024/2025 summer season plan aims to increase production of cereals.

“The 2024/2025 Summer Season Plan aims to increase production of cereals to 3 274 200 metric tonnes, against the 744 271 metric tonnes obtained during the 2023/2024
summer season. The overall production volumes of major crops are expected to increase by 347 percent from a mere 915 000 metric to over 4 million metric. The production target for cereals is 3.3 million metric tonnes, while that for pulses is 819 500 metric,” he said.

“To date, over 746 238 hectares of maize have been planted under various support programmes, being 41.5 percent of the target. Under the Presidential Input Schemes, 117 percent of the targeted 9 million plots have been prepared by 116 percent of the targeted 3 million rural households.”

Regarding the current dry spell, he said agronomic advisory from AGRITEX should guide farmers at the local level, while a prediction by the Meteorological Services of normal to above normal rainfall is still in place.

Dr Muswere said the existing total stock in the Strategic Grain Reserve, comprising wheat, maize and traditional grains amount to 245 052 metric tonnes.

He added: “The projected consumption through the Food Deficit Mitigation Programme, Zunde RaMambo and the School Feeding Programme for the period December 2024 to March 2025 is 241 089.

The Private Sector will continue to import for commercial purpose, stock feed and assist in the combating of drought.”

The Minister said a record 563 961 metric tonnes of wheat had been harvested to date, surpassing the 465 548 metric tonnes achieved in 2023.

He said trucks from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) continue to distribute stock feed.

Meanwhile, Dr Muswere said the establishment of Ward Drought Mitigation Centres has recorded 43 percent of the targeted 1 035 wards.