Despite a severe El Nino drought last year, Zimbabwe successfully avoided food shortages and market manipulation through joint government and private sector efforts, according to the media.
Facing a poor maize harvest, the Zimbabwean government secured supplies for food relief using Grain Marketing Board (GMB) reserves, while private millers imported maize. From April to February, the private sector imported 1.35 million tonnes of grain, including 1.13 million tonnes of maize, according to Information Minister Jenfan Muswere.
The GMB also maintained sufficient reserves for ongoing government programs. The government monitored import volumes and prices to prevent price gouging. With a focus on maintaining consistent supply, shops continued to stock all brands of mealie-meal.
Before the planting season, farmers received adequate inputs to boost the maize harvest from 744,000 tonnes to a target of 3.2 million tonnes, with preliminary data indicating 99% of the target area was planted, raising hopes for a bountiful harvest.