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From George Maponga in Masvingo
GOVERNMENT is intensifying the importation of grain to avert starvation following last season drought with nearly 300 000 tonnes of maize currently stocked in the Grain Marketing Board’s Strategic Grain Reserve(SGR) to feed the nation. GMB’s Strategic Grain Reserve had been severely depleted after poor harvests blamed on erratic rains.The reserves should hold 500 000 tonnes of maize at any given time to give the nation about three months food cover as monthly maize consumption stands at about 150 000 tonnes.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development (Cropping) Davis Marapira yesterday said GMB now had 270 000 metric tonnes of maize in its Strategic Grain Reserve.
‘’As of today (Wednesday) we have about 270 000 tonnes of maize in our Strategic Grain Reserve and out of that about 190 000 tonnes came from local farmers while the remainder was imported,’’ he said.
‘’We hope the reserves will continue to grow because more farmers are still bringing their maize from last season to GMB while at the same time maize imports are continuing to make sure that the country has
sufficient food stocks to last until the next harvest around April next year,’’ he added.
Deputy Minister Marapira said most deliveries to GMB were coming from Mashonaland East, West and Central provinces.
Midlands province is also delivering a significant amount.
He said GMB would continue to mop up maize from local producers to fully replenish the Strategic Grain Reserve.
The Strategic Grain Reserve ensures national food security and is distributed to deficit areas in times of need.
Online Reporter