Zimbabwe eyes record maize harvest, production to hit three million tonnes

Source: Zim eyes record maize harvest . . . production to hit three million tonnes | Sunday Mail Theseus Shambare Zimbabwe is poised to record its largest-ever maize harvest this year, with preliminary assessments indicating that production could hit three million tonnes. The previous record maize haul was 2,95 million tonnes realised in 1984. Sources privy to details of the just-concluded first-round crop assessment told The Sunday Mail that, all things being equal, the country might have a surplus of up to 800 000 tonnes of maize. Production is largely being driven by the timely distribution of inputs, attractive producer prices that have motivated farmers and abundant rains being experienced in the current cropping season. Last week, agricultural extension officers concluded a 10-day nationwide data collection exercise on randomly sampled farms and plots in 1 600 wards. Collation of data is now being finalised, with the final report due to be tabled before Cabinet soon. ...