By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Harare – Zimbabwe is on the cusp of a major agricultural milestone, with government projections indicating a grain surplus of approximately 812,000 metric tonnes. This positive outlook reflects the successful implementation of the Second Republic’s transformational policies aimed at revitalizing the sector and ensuring food security nationwide.
During a post-cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere highlighted that the projection is based on an anticipated cereal reserve of 3.01 million metric tonnes.
This reserve comprises an expected harvest of 2,928,206 metric tonnes and an existing stock of 83,526 metric tonnes, surpassing the nation’s annual grain requirement of 2.2 million metric tonnes.
“As the transformational programme of the Second Republic continues to bear fruit, the nation is projected to record a grain surplus of approximately 812,000 metric tonnes,” Muswere stated.
“This projection is based on an anticipated cereal reserve of 3.01 million metric tonnes, comprising an expected harvest of 2,928,206 metric tonnes and an existing reserve of 83,526 metric tonnes, against an annual grain requirement of 2.2 million metric tonnes.”
To ensure farmers and the agricultural sector are adequately supported, the government will continue to allocate resources to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) for timely payments for grain deliveries. Grain marketing will be facilitated through multiple channels, including the GMB, the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX), and direct sales to agro-processors.
Minister Muswere also noted that the Warehouse Receipt System remains active, with a 2025 intake of 4,000 metric tonnes of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses, with significant quantities already realized to date.
In a remarkable achievement for the tobacco industry, total sales have surpassed the 300 million-kilogramme target set under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan. Current figures show sales reaching 309,120,966 kilogrammes, representing a 45.65% increase compared to the 209 million kilogrammes sold in 2024, with sales still ongoing.
While the average price per kilogramme has slightly decreased from $3.45 to $3.36, the total revenue from tobacco sales has surged past $1.04 billion, up from $721 million in 2024.
In the cereal crop sector, over 122,142 hectares have been planted to date, exceeding the initial target of 120,000 hectares for wheat production. The government continues to monitor key enablers to achieve an anticipated yield of 600,000 metric tonnes of wheat from the 2025 season.
Additionally, barley planting has reached 6,115 hectares, achieving 94.1% of the 6,500-hectare target, while 4,512 hectares of potatoes have been planted against a target of 8,750 hectares.
These developments underscore the government’s commitment to revitalizing agriculture, ensuring food security, and boosting economic growth amid ongoing reforms.