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Cde Chombo

Felex Share Senior Reporter
The Zanu-PF Politburo has expressed satisfaction with the crop situation in the country, amid indications that maize output will surpass the national annual consumption.

This year’s success is attributed to good rains, a well-structured Government Command Agriculture programme and support given to farmers under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.

This pours cold water on claims by critics of Command Agriculture within the party, principally Secretary for Science and Technology Development Professor Jonathan Moyo, who has been lambasting the scheme on social media.

Speaking after the Zanu-PF Politburo meeting in Harare on Wednesday, the revolutionary party’s Secretary for Administration, Cde Ignatius Chombo, said Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made had presented a comprehensive report on the crop situation in the country.

“He (Dr Made) expressed satisfaction at the crop situation in the country and estimated that maize output would surpass the national annual consumption of 1,8 million tonnes,” he said.

“Cotton output is expected to double due to the favourable rains and the deliberate effort to promote it through the Presidential Inputs Scheme. There is marginal increase to date in tobacco output, which has already started selling at $4,60 per kg.”

Cde Chombo said Cde Made had also briefed the Politburo on the preparations for winter wheat under Command Agriculture.

“He reported that of the 50 000 hectares targeted for wheat this winter, more than 42 000ha had been identified,” he said.

Government, together with the private sector, has harnessed about $500 million to finance Command Agriculture, which targets to produce about two million tonnes of maize from 400 000 hectares this season.

The scheme performed beyond expectations and indications are that the majority of farmers under the programme would exceed the minimum five tonnes yield per hectare, with some expecting harvests of between eight and 14 tonnes per hectare.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who leads a Cabinet Committee on Food Security, recently announced that Government had suspended grain imports, as the country had enough in its Strategic Grain Reser- ves.

He said more deliveries from the anticipated bumper harvest were expected to boost food security.

Cde Chombo said the Politburo had also discussed the economy, with members receiving updates on the implementation of Zim-Asset.

“The Secretary for Economic Empowerment, Cde Mike Bimha, reported that Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 had benefited the country,” he said.

“A number of companies, namely in the cooking oil, furniture manufacturing and packaging sectors, had either opened shop in Zimbabwe or had seen phenomenal growth. Besides, import substitution, the institution of SI 64 has resulted in local value addition and employment creation.”