Zimbabwe proposes ban on cereal imports to bolster local grain market
Dr. Anxious Masuka, the Lands Minister said the recommendation aims to promote domestic grain markets and encourage food self-sufficiency
ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe may soon halt cereal imports following a recommendation by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to prioritise the uptake of locally produced grains.
The move, revealed in the Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA-2) for the 2024/25 summer season, anticipates a combined maize and traditional grain yield of nearly 3 million tonnes, enough to generate a cereal surplus of between 811,732 and 1,225,732 tonnes depending on consumption patterns.
Dr. Anxious Masuka, the Lands Minister said the recommendation aims to promote domestic grain markets and encourage food self-sufficiency.
“Cereal imports should be stopped to encourage purchase of local grain,” he said, pointing to CLAFA-2 projections of 2,293,556 tonnes of maize and 634,650 tonnes of traditional grains such as sorghum, pearl, and finger millet.
The proposed import ban has received backing from the farming community. Zimbabwe National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) president Monica Chinamasa welcomed the move and called on agro-processors to exhaust local supplies before applying for import permits.
“Industry should absorb what is available locally,” she said.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) secretary-general Paul Zakariya echoed the sentiment, noting that the intention is to promote domestic grain markets and reduce dependency on imports.
“Imports should only be allowed after all marketable local grain has been taken up.”
However, Dr. Reneth Mano, executive administrator at the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC), warned that an immediate ban could backfire due to the timing of the harvest season.
“The bulk of the maize crop is still in the field with high moisture content. Most commercial market deliveries are expected between mid-July and the end of August,” he said.
Dr. Mano estimated that Zimbabwe’s maize processors will require 280,000 to 320,000 tonnes between now and mid-July, a gap that could create supply shortages if imports are halted prematurely.
With no carry-over stocks from the drought-hit 2023/24 season, he urged the government to time the import ban carefully to avoid destabilising food prices.
To ensure a smooth transition to local sourcing, Dr. Mano proposed the establishment of a US$240 million trade financing facility. This would allow the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and commercial off-takers to purchase between 750,000 and 850,000 tonnes of maize from farmers between June and August.
“There is enough demand and commitment from the private sector to buy all locally produced maize as it arrives on the domestic grain market from July through September 2025,” he added.
In line with these policy shifts, the government has introduced a new marketing and pricing framework for the 2024/25 season to ensure food and nutrition security while maintaining macroeconomic stability. The GMB will continue to serve as the buyer of last resort for crops financed under the Presidential Input Scheme, while private contractors are required to buy back contracted crops at market rates.
Farmers operating outside formal contract schemes are encouraged to sell via the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX), which offers a central warehouse receipt system and spot trading platform for agricultural commodities. The GMB will also offer commercial warehousing services to all market participants.
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