Bumper crop: Cereal imports ban looms

Edgar Vhera-Specialist Writer – Agribusiness

THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has recommended a ban on cereal imports to prioritise local grain purchases, a move that has been met with enthusiasm from farmers.

Farmers are urging the agro-processing industry to collaborate with banks for funding to bolster the local grain market, signalling a significant shift towards self-sufficiency in food production.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, made the recommendation in the Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA-2) 2024/25 summer season report.

“Based on this CLAFA 2 assessment, maize production is estimated at 2 293 556 tonnes with traditional grain (sorghum, pearl and finger millet) output expected to be 634 650 tonnes.

“The surplus cereal will range from 811 732 to 1 225 732 tonnes using the various consumption patterns.

“Cereal imports should be stopped to encourage purchase of local grain,” he said.

Government planning scenario uses a consumption rate of 120kg per person per year, with the Southern Africa region using 102kg per person per year, while Zimbabwe’s actual scenario from 2017 survey is 92.4kg per person per year.

Given such a background, CLAFA 2 recommended the cessation of cereal imports to encourage purchase of local grain.

Zimbabwe National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) president, Mrs Monica Chinamasa applauded the move to stop cereal imports and urged industry to absorb what is available locally before getting import permits.

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) secretary general, Mr Paul Zakariya concurred, saying the suggestion to ban cereal imports raised important policy considerations that protect local producers.

“The intention is to promote domestic grain markets and reduce dependency on imports. Our local markets should perform to their fullest capacity. Imports should only be allowed after all marketable local grain has been taken up,” Mr Zakariya said.

An agriculture expert and Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) executive administrator, Dr Reneth Mano cautioned that such a move could only be effected when the country reached the peak marketing period of its summer crops.

“The bulk of the maize crop is rain-fed and is still in the field with high moisture content. We expect harvesting and natural drying to occupy our farmers throughout June/July with the bulk of the maize harvests delivered to the commercial market mid-July through end of August,” he said.

Dr Mano said between now and mid-July, the domestic maize processing industry will require between 280 000 and 320 000 tonnes of maize.

“Because there are no carry-over stocks from the El Nino drought-hit 2023/24 agriculture season, closing the border prematurely before July 2025 would disrupt the agro-processing sector and unintentionally destabilise the state of stability of domestic food prices that Government has been able to sustain through imports,” he said.

Dr Mano said Government and agro-processing industry should work together to ensure financial institutions, and where necessary, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, have enough liquidity to finance the expected delivery of 750 000 to 850 000 tonnes of maize to the domestic market by farmers from June to August 2025.

“A trade financing facility of US$240 million has to be in place for commercial off takers and for Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to ensure all maize farmers are paid on time whether they are selling their surplus maize to private off takers through the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) spot market auction and warehouse receipt system or through GMB for the strategic grain reserve,” he added.

Dr Mano said smallholder communal and resettled A1 farmers are expected to retain 1.4 million tonnes of their maize harvest for family consumption and a post-drought risk aversion strategy of storing enough grain to guarantee their household food security through June 2026/27.

“There is enough demand and commitment from the private sector to buy all locally produced maize, as it arrives on the domestic grain market from July through September 2025,” he said.

The Government recently announced a marketing and pricing system to be used in the sale of crops for the 2024/25 season that is consistent with achieving both food and nutrition security and macroeconomic stability.

GMB will purchase all strategic commodities financed under the Presidential Input Scheme and will be the buyer of last resort.

All contractors are obligated to buy back contracted crops at market prices.

Self-financed farmers will sell to the best advantage on the market or to GMB, with the latter providing commercial warehouse receipt services to all players.

The  ZMX will provide a central warehouse receipt system and a spot market trading platform for agricultural commodities.

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