Govt. To increase maize import #zimbabwe

The country expects to get 20 000 tonnes of maize from South Africa by the end of the month as Government intensifies efforts to avert hunger until the next harvest. Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister (Cropping) Davis Marapira on Wednesday said over 1 500 tonnes of maize had been imported from South Africa since the beginning of the month. "Since New Year, we have received over 1 500 tonnes of maize from South Africa but we anticipate the figure would have risen to 20 000 by the time this month ends as delays caused by importing bulk maize will be a thing of the past," he said. "Zimbabwe is now importing bagged maize from South Africa and we hope this is going to make the importation of maize far much quicker than at first. "We anticipate even faster maize deliveries from South Africa this time because initially there were logistical problems caused by shortage of manpower as most of the workers in South Africa had gone for the festive holidays." The country will import 150 000 tonnes of maize from South Africa to augment supplies from Zambia