By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Harare – Zimbabwe is on track for a strong agricultural performance in 2025, with the government projecting a grain surplus of between 812,000 and 1.2 million metric tons for the ongoing 2024–2025 summer crop marketing season, a Cabinet Minister announced on Tuesday.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere said the optimistic outlook stems from comprehensive government support, a buoyant commodities trading environment, and notable growth in major cash crops.
“Cabinet this week noted significant progress under the 2025 Winter Production Plan and provided a comprehensive update on the current summer crop marketing,” said Muswere.
“The Government reaffirmed its commitment to timely payment of farmers for grain deliveries, with resource allocations already in place to maintain momentum.”
Muswere highlighted the growing role of the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) in facilitating agricultural trade, noting that it has so far processed 7,507 metric tons of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses.
The Warehouse Receipt System, now widely embraced by farmers, is being used not only for secure storage but also as collateral for financing and input swap programs.
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has opened agro-shops at all 88 of its depots across the country. These allow farmers to purchase inputs using proceeds from grain sales or ZMX warehouse receipts, enhancing access to resources for the next production cycle.
On the cash crop front, cotton and tobacco have shown impressive year-on-year gains. As of July 24, 2025, approximately 25.3 million kilograms of cotton had been marketed—almost double the 13.3 million kilograms sold in 2024. The crop, valued at US$7.7 million, was traded through six active contractors, most of whom are paying cash on the spot or using electronic transfers.
Tobacco has also performed exceptionally well, with 348.5 million kilograms sold so far this year, a significant increase from 228.9 million kilograms in 2024. This surge has pushed revenue to over US$1.16 billion, up from US$785.3 million the previous year.
“The strong outlook for tobacco is set to continue,” said Muswere.
“Seed sales are up 46 percent, with over one million grams sold this year, covering 212,377 hectares—up from 727,000 grams and 145,321 hectares in 2024. This indicates the 2025–2026 season may set new production records.”
Winter cropping is also progressing well, with 122,897 hectares of wheat, 6,115 hectares of barley, and 4,708 hectares of potatoes already planted nationwide.
Muswere emphasized that the government is closely monitoring all productivity enablers to ensure the targeted 875,000 metric tons of combined winter output is achieved.
“The continued positive trajectory in Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector points to growing resilience and investor confidence,” Muswere said.
“Through a combination of modern trading systems, financial innovation, and robust government support, the country is moving steadily towards both food security and agricultural profitability.”
The strong showing in both staple and cash crops marks a significant stride toward Zimbabwe’s broader goals of economic recovery, rural transformation, and sustainable food systems.