Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
The Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) has put over 2 000 tonnes of maize up for sale on its first day of trading, as it kicks off the 2026 marketing season on Wednesday.
The agricultural marketing season in Zimbabwe starts on April 1.
On its official X handle, the ZMX confirmed they already had 2 000 tonnes of maize ready for marketing.
“The ZMX auction launch brings real volume, real buyers and real price discovery. Don’t miss your chance to participate in a structured, transparent market,” said ZMX.
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has a 25 percent shareholding of the ZMX.
ZMX, which provides a central warehouse receipt system (WRS) and a spot market trading platform for agricultural commodities and has since added livestock and horticulture to its initial list of 49 commodities allowed for trade.
The WRS is essentially a network of certified warehouses that take commodity deposits and issue warehouse receipts that serve as proof of title to a specified quantity and quality of a commodity.
Government’s role in agriculture through the GMB will remain limited to the purchase and management of Strategic Grain Reserves (SGRs) and providing storage facilities for ZMX.
ZMX chief executive officer, Mr Collens Tapfumaneyi said the market was open to all and a minimum of 50 kilogramme of grain was required for one to participate.
“A communal farmer in any location can deposit his/her 50-kilogramme bag of grain in any certified warehouse.
“The grain is graded and given a warehouse receipt, a financial instrument they can use to get cash or inputs,” he said.
The new agriculture blueprint, Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2) 2026-2030, states that the ZMX is a diversified agricultural marketing centre expected to facilitate price discovery and provide an alternative marketing channel for a broad range of crop, fisheries and livestock products.
“The ZMX, as an alternative market, should raise capital for farmers and be available from village to national level,” read AFSRTS 2.
The Government has disclosed that the ZMX trading platform would take centre stage in the domestic marketing of agricultural commodities.
The GMB used to be the sole buyer of grains before the Government liberalised the market.
According to the 2026 National Budget, ZMX intends to enhance the effectiveness of its commodity trading platform and its warehouse receipt system by expanding accessibility of its services across the country.
This will ensure that small-holding farmers can access secure storage for transparent pricing and commodity-based financing, without traditional collateral.
The Government’s role in agriculture through the GMB will remain limited to the purchase and management of Strategic Grain Reserves (SGRs) and providing storage facilities for ZMX.
With the second round of Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA-2) 2025/2026 currently underway, the country is expecting a good harvest from a generally good rainfall season in many parts of the country.
