Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe is projected to record a grain surplus of over 812,000 metric tonnes during the 2024–2025 season, as the country continues to reap the benefits of the Second Republic’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing, yesterday, in Harare, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services,Jenfan Muswere, said the national cereal reserve is expected to reach 3.01 million metric tonnes. This includes an anticipated harvest of 2,928,206 metric tonnes and an existing reserve of 83,526 metric tonnes, surpassing the annual grain requirement of 2.2 million metric tonnes.
“This projected surplus underscores the impact of sound Government policies and continued investments in climate-proofed agriculture. If we use the SADC regional consumption average of 8.5kg per person per month or Zimbabwe’s national average of 7.7kg, the surplus would be even greater,” said Minister Muswere
To ensure uninterrupted grain marketing, the Minister confirmed that Government will continue supporting the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) with adequate resources to guarantee prompt payments to farmers.
“Marketing will remain open through the GMB, Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX), and direct sales to agro-processors, while the Warehouse Receipt System has already received 4,000 metric tonnes of cereals, oilseeds and pulses,” Minister Muswere said.
Making reference to tobacco, Minister Muswere informed that Zimbabwe had surpassed its 2025 sales target, reaching 309.1 million kilogrammes a 45.65% increase from the 209 million sold last year.
“This is a remarkable milestone under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan. Although the average price slightly declined from $3.45 to $3.36 per kilogramme, total revenue rose to over $1.04 billion, up from $721 million in 2024,” Muswere said
On the 2025 winter production programme, Muswere reported that 122,142 hectares of wheat had already been planted, exceeding the 120,000-hectare target. He stated Government expectations to harvest 600,000 metric tonnes from the crop.
“Barley planting has reached 94.1% of its target with 6,115 hectares planted, while 4,512 hectares of potatoes have been established against a target of 8,750 hectares.
“These figures reflect the continued resilience and innovation of Zimbabwe’s farming communities,” said Minister Muswere.
The update reflects continued gains in the agriculture sector as Government works to secure food self-sufficiency, increase export earnings, and build resilience across crop value chains ahead of the 2025 season.
