Story by Wellington Makonese

THE government’s tax concession for grain imports is paying dividends as the grain milling industry has revealed that maize stocks have exceeded national demand.

The grain milling industry has diffused fears of grain shortages in the country in the wake of anticipated low rainfall during the summer cropping season.

In a statement, the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe revealed that it has actioned processes to import adequate grain while praising the government for facilitating imports and climate-proofing the agriculture sector.

Zimbabwe requires 2.2 million metric tonnes of grain annually and minimum strategic reserves of 500,000 metric tonnes of grain.

As of July, the country had 204 084 metric tonnes of maize and 41 456 metric tonnes of traditional grains estimated to last close to five months before the grain import tax concession.

Zimbabwe has in recent years posted bumper harvests due to a cocktail of measures that include the climate-proof pfumvudza/ intwasa programme and accelerated irrigation farming practices.