Zimbabwe: Wheat output rises to record

Source: Wheat output rises to all-time record | The Sunday Mail Theseus Shambare ZIMBABWE’S wheat harvest, which has already hit an all-time record high this year, was estimated to have reached more than 560 000 tonnes by last week. This represents a marked increase from the previous record of 467 905 tonnes realised last year. The country’s annual demand for the crop stands at 360 000 tonnes. Zimbabwe is on course to reclaiming its breadbasket status in the region. Readily available flour — a major ingredient in many staple foods such as bread, pasta and pastries — is expected to guarantee the stability of prices on the local market. From 1969 to 1999, Zimbabwe averaged 250 000 tonnes, with a high of 325 000 tonnes in 1990. Last year, Zimbabwe became one of the two African countries to be wheat self-sufficient, alongside Ethiopia. In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert ...