The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Government has said the country has enough grain stocks to feed the nation.
The grain stocks at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) as at 5 December stood at 551 032 tonnes, comprising 472 950 tonnes of maize and 78 082 tonnes of traditional grains.
In a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said based on the country’s forecasted monthly consumption rate of 49 295 tonnes, the available grain will last over 11 months.
“Cabinet received and considered the weekly Report on the Status National Grains, Wheat Harvesting and Deliveries, as presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka.
“Cabinet advises that the grain stocks at GMB as at 5 December, 2022 stood at 551 032 metric tonnes, comprising 472 950 metric tonnes of maize and 78 082 metric tonnes of traditional grains. Based on the country’s forecasted monthly consumption rate of 49 295 metric tonnes, the available grain will last for 11.2 months,” she said.
“Cabinet reassures the nation that the available grain stocks indicate that the country is food secure.”
The Minister said allocations to millers remain pegged at 25 000 tonnes per month, and the monthly social welfare grain allocation stands at 24 295 tonnes. In terms of wheat, she said the cumulative harvested area of the 2022 winter wheat crop stands at 76 000 hectares, which is 94 percent of the planted area, with the total production standing at 358 978 tonnes of wheat. Minister Mutsvangwa added: “Cumulative grain sales of maize, wheat, soya beans and traditional grains by the GMB since April 2022 amount to about ZW$25 billion, comprising 236 725 metric tonnes. The private sector has purchased 145 489 metric tonnes of grain.”
