Zim Now Writer
Zimbabwe has been forced to spend a staggering US$43.7 million on maize imports in just one month, highlighting the immense financial burden caused by the El Nino-induced drought, according to a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe report.
“The Southern African nation, once the region’s breadbasket in the 1990s, urgently needs to feed 2.7 million food-insecure citizens,” the report said.
This follows a poor rainy season that delivered less than half of the cereals needed to feed the nation.
The naturally occurring El Nino climate pattern, which emerged in mid-2023, typically increases global temperatures for a year afterward. It is currently fuelling fires and record heat across the world.
“On the back of such trends, the RBZ report shows that US$43.7 million was spent on maize imports during the period, up from US$42.7 million spent in the previous month of January 2024,” the report revealed.
In order to prevent drought-induced hunger, the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has projected importing one million tonnes of grain into the country between now and March 2025.
With last season’s reserves dwindling, the amount spent on maize imports is likely to surge in the coming months as the nation grapples with the severe drought.
Just this week, Care International issued a dire warning about the Southern Africa regional drought situation, emphasising the urgent need for donor assistance and timely disbursements to aid the struggling nations.
The RBZ report further revealed that maize is currently the second-highest imported commodity after diesel on the list of the ten most imported commodities.
“During the month of February 2024, the country sourced most of its imports from South Africa, which accounted for about 39.2% of total imports, followed by China, the Bahamas, United Arab Emirates, Mozambique, and Zambia,” the RBZ report stated.
Leave Comments