Zimbabwe is ready to resume grain exports this year with initial exports of 40 000 tonnes of grain to East Africa from the substantial surpluses grown by the farmers as the Second Republic’s agriculture policies continue to guarantee good harvests.

Wheat exports are also being considered after Zimbabwe attained self-sufficiency for the first time last year and should be reaping a significant surplus over the next few months.

THE country is firmly on course to reclaim its ‘Breadbasket of Africa’ status as the Government’s cocktail of interventions to boost agricultural production and achieve food self-sufficiency, as well as produce surplus for export, have started yielding positive results setting the stage for the country to resume grain exports.

Speaking at a winter wheat field day in Banket recently, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera said the surplus being achieved in production output for strategic crops had resulted in Zimbabwe unlocking the export market.“Significant growth is being recorded in maize production, the horticulture sector and wheat industry following a record winter wheat harvest last year,” said Dr Basera.

BEWARE OF CONMEN

1. The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) would like to warn the public from falling prey to conmen who are purporting to be employees of the parastatal and could facilitate them in getting foreign currency.

2. In one particular incident, a certain farmer that we cannot name on professional grounds, was approached by a man purporting to be an Accounting Officer in GMB and could facilitate payment for grain in USD in exchange of RTGS.

Zimbabwe will start exporting wheat in the region this year as the Second Republic’s Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy and other related policies continue to bear fruit.

Currently, the wheat stocks are around 140 000 tonnes and farmers will be harvesting around 420 000 tonnes of wheat from the 86 000 hectares of wheat planted in the country, well above the national requirement and the need for a decent carry-over stock.