Zimbabwe Eyes Food Security Boost With 900,000mt Strategic Grain Reserve

CABINET is expecting a strategic grain reserve in excess of 900,000 MT to be collected by the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) following the 2025/26 farming season.

Speaking in Cabinet Tuesday, Agricuture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister, Anxious Masuka said data based on the Second Round of Crops, Livestock and Fisheries report projects a positive food security outlook.

"The projections indicate that Zimbabwe stands to realise a surplus strategic grain reserve ranging between 550,945 metric tonnes and 964,945 metric tonnes. Currently, Government stocks held at the Grain Marketing Board as at 6 May 2026 stand at 155,210 metric tonnes (MT) comprising maize, 36,593 MT; white sorghum, 1,614 MT; red sorghum, 13,187 MT; pearl millet, 1,074 MT; rapoko, 1,195 MT and Strategic Grain wheat, 102,740 MT," he said.

He said the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) also holds a total of 62,165 MT, being third party grain stocks for off-take companies.

Regarding the 2025/2026 summer crop marketing, a total of 41,584 MT of crops comprising maize, soyabean, sorghum and sunflower have been formally marketed compared to the 21,610 MT marketed at the same time in 2025.

"It is noteworthy that GMB holds 7.64% of the intake, compared to 3.81% in 2025. Concerning marketing arrangements, GMB will aggregate grain from farmers comprising Strategic Grain Reserve and private players through its 1 804 collection points and 89 depots," he said.

He said GMB will also store grain on behalf of clients in order to provide a convenient and cost-effective solution.

Furthermore, GMB will introduce an "In-Transit Grain Storage Facility" to enhance grain imports and supply chains. The actual progress regarding the harvesting of various crops is as follows, a total of 1,418,704 MT of crops were harvested across all provinces with Mashonaland West topping the list with 41% of the harvest followed by Manicaland Province with 195,200 MT.

A total of 226,302 MT of sorghum was harvested across the eight rural provinces with Masvingo topping the list with 58,995 MT; and A total of 70,733 MT of soyabean was harvested with Mashonaland West recording the highest figure of 42,372 MT.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.