THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) yesterday said they anticipate importing one million tonnes of grain in the country between now and March 2025 to prevent drought-induced hunger.
GMAZ chairperson, Tafadzwa Musarara, said this while appearing before the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Agriculture.
“Currently we have excess stock of maize,” Musarara claimed.
“We are also finalising on the local grain procurement since government has given us authority to buy grain directly from farmers.”
Grain Marketing Board (GMB) officials recently said the country was left with four months grain supply highlighting the dire food situation during the El Nino-induced drought.
Government, long accused of doctoring figures, says there are enough food stocks.
In the past, the government has been exposed for lying about the food situation in the country.
Food monitoring agencies recently warned that at least 4,4 million Zimbabweans are food insecure with crops also wilting due to the prolonged dry spell.
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Zambia recently suspended maize exports as the neighbouring country has not been spared the harsh effects of the drought.
Musarara said they intend to import more grain from South America Mexico and Brazil if South Africa suspends imports.
“To date we have secured 600 000 tonnes which is in terms of the contract of the 1,1 million tonnes which will be our aim to cover between livestock and human consumption,” he said.
“We anticipate that there will be demand especially in the rural market.
“The country will be stocked with different brands of mealie-meal until next year."
On Monday, the committee conducted visits to GMB depots in Mashonaland West province where they discovered that the amount of grain left in reserves is insufficient to feed Zimbabweans.
