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Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter
The Government has committed to availing US$177 million for the construction of seven modern Grain Marketing Board (GMB) silos to boost the country’s Strategic Grain Reserve capacity from 500 000 tonnes to 1,5 million tonnes.
All the silos under construction will have a storage capacity of 392 000 tonnes with each of them having a carrying capacity of 56 000 tonnes.
Construction works are currently underway in Kwekwe, Mhangura, Timbermills, Mutare, Rutenga, Lupane, and Mvurwi GMB depots.
Director of soil conservation, post-harvest, agro-processing and farm structure in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Mr Martin Munyati said the silos will help to protect the post-harvest losses that are incurred adding that construction works will be finished before June next year.
He said each silo will need US$25 million to be constructed adding that there is a need to scale up works to neat the rainy season.
“We want to expand the storage for the Strategic Grain Reserve so it is our responsibility to do so.
“Construction is running concurrently so we hope by June next year we will be using those silos for the winter crop next year.
“In 2025/26 we will be storing all our cereals there. What is more important about these silos is that they have dyers integrated, unlike the ones that are currently existing.
“Our aim is that we want to modernise silos and improve the holding capacity to ensure that we do not have losses especially that are incurred in storing in bags,” he said.
Recently, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister said constructing more silos in strategic parts of the country will help to boost the country’s grain holding capacity and adequately prepare for fallbacks in light of climate change.
He also said the aim is to restore 1.5 million tonnes of physical grain reserves. 12 GMBs are currently operating in Zimbabwe.
Post-harvest losses such as pests and diseases have been a threat to summer subsistence crops in Zimbabwe for years. If not controlled adequately, they can cause huge losses through reduced yields. During the rainy season, several pests and diseases attack crops.
The government is targeting a cereal production of over 3,2 million tonnes to ensure national food and nutrition security as well as ensuring farmers grow enough for their own family sustenance with some left over for sale.
The 2024/2025 summer season production plan also focuses on food and feed crops, oilseeds and industrial crops, for both local consumption and export.
Online Reporter