Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
THE Government has reassured the nation that the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has sufficient grain stocks to meet the needs of rural communities until the next harvest, expected from next month.
The country is anticipating a bumper harvest following the good rains received in the 2024/25 season.
Speaking to journalists after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting in Harare, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, stated that the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development presented a report indicating that the country’s grain stocks stand at 129 000 metric tonnes.
“The current grain stock at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) is sufficient to meet the needs of rural communities until the next harvest, which is expected from April 2025. Grain stocks are 129 149 metric tonnes,” said Dr Muswere.
“Government continues to monitor volumes of imports, stocks at millers, import prices, and sources of imports in order to eliminate arbitrage opportunities.”
In response to outbreaks of the African armyworm that threatened crops across dozens of districts, Dr Muswere said the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has set up 214 surveillance traps for the pests.
“The African armyworm outbreak across the country is the worst in 20 years. All districts now have chemicals for ‘standby reaction’ to this pest. Sixty trucks, one for each district, have been purchased to enable a timely response to the African armyworm menace and to ensure better preparedness going forward,” he said.
The Government has also distributed 639 809 knapsack sprayers to some beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Scheme.
Meanwhile, as the country prepares to host the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in July this year, Dr Muswere announced that Cabinet had approved a learning visit to China by a team from Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe will host the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls from July 23 to 31.
The purpose of the learning trip to China by a Zimbabwean delegation is to strengthen bilateral relations with the Asian country on environmental policy.
The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) took place from November 5 to 13, 2022 in Wuhan (China) at the East Lake International Conference Centre (ELICC) and in Geneva (Switzerland) at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). The opening ceremony and high-level segment were held in a hybrid format, with invited representatives participating both in Wuhan and Geneva, linked via video. Negotiations and all other aspects of COP14 took place in person in Geneva.
As the countdown officially begins, Zimbabwe is intensifying preparations to host the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, a landmark global event set to take place in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
