Zimbabwe’s coming 2003/04 maize crop is likely to produce a harvest of between 800 000 to 900 000 tons, which is 33%-38% below the country’s national cereal requirement for both human and livestock consumption, the latest Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews-Net) report says.
Although the rainfall situation has improved recently, cumulative rainfall as of mid-January 2004 is still below normal for the greater part of Zimbabwe.
The worst affected areas are in Manicaland, Masvingo and the narrow belt east of Mashonaland East, the agency said.
“This year only around 70% to 80% of the land has been planted with major crops, as compared to the same time last year. A shortage of seed, high seed prices, shortage of draft power and erratic and patch rainfall explain the reduction in area planted,” the report said.
“A lukewarm donor response to the appeal for food assistance is limiting the ability of the United Nations World Food Programme and it partners to meet the needs of all food insecure households. Only 54% of the estimated 610 000 tons of emergency food aid had been secured by the end of December 2003,” the report added.
Zimbabwe faces a national cereal deficit of 134 000 tons, if no further cereal imports are made from January to March 2004.
During the current 2003/04 marketing year Zimbabwe has been South Africa’s key maize export destination with a total of 336 750 tons of both yellow and white maize exported there from South Africa.
From May to December, South Africa exported a total of 860 000 tons of maize, according to the South African Grain Information Service (Sagis). ‒ I-Net Bridge