Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare, Zimpapers Writer
CONSUMERS can expect a reduction in the price of bread in the near future following the country’s record-breaking wheat harvest of 640 000 tonnes.
The Government announced that the unprecedented yield, the largest in the nation’s history, would stabilise food prices, strengthen national food security and position Zimbabwe as a potential regional wheat supplier for the first time.
This milestone is expected to cut import costs and increase the local availability of wheat, directly translating to lower costs for essential goods like bread. According to the latest Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (Ardas) update dated November 13, the country planted 122,566 hectares of wheat this winter, the highest since independence.
Of that area, 122 107 ha have already been harvested, yielding 639 987 tonnes at a national average of 5,2 tonnes per hectare.
About 208ha were written off, mainly due to veld fires.
The country requires 360 000 tonnes annually for local bread and flour production, meaning Zimbabwe now has a surplus big enough to begin supplying regional markets, particularly in Southern Africa, where only Ethiopia matches Zimbabwe in wheat self-sufficiency on the continent.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the record harvest was the clearest confirmation yet that the country’s agricultural transformation was gathering pace.
“So, as we conclude our winter wheat season, we are excited because not only have we surpassed the targets, but we have effectively set new records,” he said.
“Never in the country’s history have we reached over 600 000 tonnes, but this year we are going to hit over 640 000 tonnes. With this abundance, wheat-based products-bread included-must now start to reduce in price.”
Bread at present retails between US$1 and US$1,20, depending on type.
Prof Jiri said the improved supply of local wheat, combined with the fall in global fertiliser prices from the Covid-19 peak, meant a notable drop in production costs for millers and bakers.
“Further reduction in flour and associated products is expected in the foreseeable future.
“We expect the Millers Association of Zimbabwe and the baking industry to take note of the abundant local raw material,” he said.
Champion Foods marketing manager Mr Sheunopa Ruwanza said the bumper wheat harvest is good news for Zimbabwe.
“We are extremely pleased with how farmers have performed this season. As millers, we are already feeling the effects, with huge volumes of grain now being delivered to our depots.
We are offering competitive prices to ensure continuous uptake and we expect this abundance to translate into better-quality end products and fairer pricing for consumers. On this trajectory, we foresee greater stability across the wheat value chain — including bread prices,” he said.
Mega Market managing director Mr Shiraan Ahmed weighed in, saying prices of bread and flour will remain stable and millers will continue engaging the Government to ensure the continued stability of prices.
“Flour and bread prices will remain stable. The Agricultural Marketing Authority has clarified that the US$10 per tonne levy under Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025 applies only to maize imports, not wheat.
That assurance has given the industry confidence and removed any fears of upward price movements.”
The Ardas report shows that Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, and Mashonaland East were the backbone of this year’s output, contributing a combined 474 638 tonnes.
Mashonaland West led with 188 661 tonnes, followed by Mashonaland Central (161 969 tonnes) and Mashonaland East (124 008 tonnes).
Midlands added 60 586 tonnes, Manicaland produced 53 349 tonnes, while Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Masvingo posted steady harvests that pushed the national total past all previous records.
Government attributes the milestone to the success of the Winter Wheat Programme — a partnership between the State and private sector financiers — expanded irrigation capacity, reliable power supply for pumping, mechanisation support and strong participation from smallholder farmers who were previously excluded from wheat production.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube recently told the Zanu-PF National People’s Conference that the winter wheat initiative had “secured national self-sufficiency” and drastically reduced Zimbabwe’s need for grain imports.
Chief agronomist and Arda board chairman Mr Ivan Craig said new locally developed wheat varieties were now matching and in some cases outperforming imported hard wheat traditionally preferred by millers.
“The misconception that Zimbabwe cannot produce premium bread wheat must be corrected.
“Some of the new varieties are equally good — if not better — than imported wheat. What is needed now is a pricing structure that rewards farmers for growing these improved varieties,” he said
He said incentivising farmers would accelerate adoption, improve national wheat quality further and reduce the need for blending imported wheat.
As part of the new pricing framework, the difference between import parity and local parity prices will accrue to the Agricultural Revolving Fund, cushioning farmers and ensuring sustainable winter wheat financing going forward.
With irrigation expansion underway and smallholders emerging as a force in wheat production, Zimbabwe was now poised not only to maintain self-sufficiency but to cement itself as the region’s wheat powerhouse — feeding the nation and the neighbourhood.
