Zimbabwe reintroduces maize import ban following bumper harvest

Zimbabwe has reintroduced a ban on maize imports with the aim of boosting local farms in the wake of a bumper supply for its millers this year, according to a senior agriculture ministry official.

Favorable weather conditions including improved rainfall boosted yield and sharply reversed the previous year’s output which was influenced by a drought due to an El Nino, forcing the country to rely on imports.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Obert Jiri told Reuters, “We assess the situation every day. We must protect local purchases from our local farmers.”

Zimbabwe consumes approximately 1.8 million metric tons of maize each year. In the 2023/24 season, production fell from 2.3 million metric tons recorded in two years earlier to around 800,000 metric tons.

This low output prompted the country’s government to temporarily lift the import ban in order ease any food shortage issue.

According to Jiri, this year’s recovery in addition to state funded programmes like the Pfumvudza smallholder scheme has left the country with enough stocks

An independent analyst Paul Chidziva has warned that Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector, employing about 70% of the population is still looming in severe droughts and other extreme weather conditions due to climate change.

The government has implemented programmes to curb droughts such as introducing drought-tolerant crops like sorghum and millet.

Obert Jiri concluded that that recent surplus is rare chance to reinforce food security as well as minimize imports.