Zimbabwe reinstates the import ban on maize following a record-breaking crop

Zimbabwe has put a stop to importing maize again to help its own farmers. It has also grown enough maize this year to feed its millers after a huge harvest, a senior agriculture ministry official said on Monday.

Better rains increased production and halted a sharp drop that happened last year when an El Nino-caused drought forced the country to import food, including GMO maize.

“Every day, we look at the situation.” Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, told Reuters, “We must protect those who buy from our local farmers.”

Zimbabwe needs about 1.8 million metric tons of corn a year, but only 800,000 metric tons were produced in 2023–24, down from 2.3 million metric tons the previous year.

The crisis caused the government of southern Africa to briefly lift restrictions on imports in order to ease food shortages.

Jiri said that the country has enough stocks because of this year’s recovery and government programs like the Pfumvudza smallholder plan.

Paul Chidziva, an independent analyst, warned that Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector, which employs about 70% of the country’s people, is still subject to droughts and other extreme weather events that are getting worse because of climate change.

Drought-resistant crops like sorghum and millet are being pushed by the government. Jiri said that the current surplus is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to improve food security and make the country less dependent on imports.

In 2020, Zimbabwe had to import $300 million worth of scarce foreign currency to feed more than half of its people who were in need of food help because of several droughts.