Post Cabinet Brief: The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Dr A.J. Masuka, presented the Update on the summer and Winter Crops Marketing, which was adopted by Cabinet.
Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that the Grain Marketing Board Stocks as at 24/09/23 for maize stood at 215 000 metric tonnes, traditional grains at 48 026 metric tonnes and 137 414 metric tonnes of wheat.
Wheat stocks will last for a period of six months at a monthly drawdown rate of 21 000 metric tonnes.
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With a projected El Nino season ahead, the private sector has been allowed to import additional maize and soyabean. In addition, the importation of mealie meal by households will continue duty free.
The grain delivered to date is valued at about ZW$66.6 billion and USD21 468 678, and Government is expediting payment to farmers.
Pertaining to Winter Wheat, a record 90 192 hectares have been planted with an estimated volume of 420 000 metric tonnes expected to be harvested.
About 70% has been grown by A2 (57%) and A1 (13%) farmers, attesting to the success of the land reform programme. Meanwhile, wheat harvesting has commenced with some 900 hectares having been harvested to date.
Regarding Tobacco Marketing, a record 296.1 million kilogrammes has been marketed which is an increase of 42.6% compared to last year.
To date, 127 million kilogrammes of tobacco have been exported at an average price of USD5.08/kg compared to 111 million exported during the same period last year at USD4.59/kg.
The nation is advised that as at 21 September 2023, a total of 90 084 273 kilogrammes of cotton had been marketed compared to 54 261 997 kilogrammes marketed at the same period last year.
COTTCO has commenced the transformation of the business, which is being expanded to include value addition and beneficiation, with an oil expression plant being constructed in Gokwe, while seed production will also commence at the Kadoma plant.
Under the Presidential Rural Development Programme, some 35 000 village Business Units, 9 600 School Business Units, 4 800 Youth Business Units, and 460 Irrigation Schemes Business Units will be established throughout the country.
When fully operational, the programme will boost yields and improve the rural livelihoods of communities.
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