Zimbabwe’s Maize Harvest Rebounds But Falls Short Of Govt Forecast

Zimbabwe’s maize harvest has rebounded sharply from last year’s drought, with 1.8 million tonnes produced in the 2024/25 season, according to the ZimStat Post-Harvest Survey Report. However, the total remains well below the government’s forecast of 2.3 million tonnes.

The 1,819,818 tonnes harvested this year are nearly three times the 635,000 tonnes recorded in 2024, when the country suffered its worst drought in decades.

Despite the recovery, the shortfall raises questions about the reliability of official projections. Earlier in the year, the government imposed a ban on maize imports, expecting a bumper crop to meet the country’s annual demand of 1.8 million tonnes.

The shortage became evident when major millers, including National Foods and Blue Ribbon, struggled to maintain operations.

The harvest survey, conducted by ZimStat and the Ministry of Agriculture between August and September, covered 58,000 households.

It found that Masvingo Province led in sorghum and pearl millet production, yielding 74,005 tonnes and 47,843 tonnes respectively, contributing 25.7% and 42.9% to national output.

Mashonaland West Province recorded the highest maize output, with approximately 393,058 tonnes, accounting for 21.6% of the national total.

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