Harare, (New Ziana) – As the 2025-26 summer cropping season progresses, 12 652 hectares have so far been put under maize, with the country targeting to put 1.8 million hectares under the staple cereal crop.
The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said this during the post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday.
“Cabinet was updated on the 2025-26 summer production plan. Planting is in progress, with a total of 12 652 115 hectares of maize having been planted against the season’s target of 1 800 000 hectares. A respective total of 360 498 hectares and 179 371 hectares of sorghum and pearl millet. The hectarages planted under maize, sorghum, and pearl millet are 95 percent, 228.3 percent, and 273.2 percent above the 2024-2025 hectarages, respectively,” he said.
He said under the Presidential Inputs Program, 7 902 metric tons of maize seed, 3 985 metric tons of traditional grains seed, 24 735 metric tons of Compound D fertiliser and 24 185 metric tons of Top-Dressing fertiliser have been delivered countrywide.
“His Excellency the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has directed that there should be no discrimination in the distribution of inputs under the Presidential Inputs Program and many other programs,” he said.
During this summer cropping season, Dr Muswere said, 130 210 cotton growers will plant the crop on 287 000 hectares and will receive inputs from the government-approved companies namely Alliance, Agri Value Chain, Cangrow, Cottco, and Southern Cotton Company.
Cabinet also heard that as of Thursday last week, a total of 100 549 hectares of tobacco had been planted across all provinces, reflecting a 21 percent increase from the 83 391 hectares that had planted by the same time last year.
At least 229.99 million kilograms of tobacco valued at US$1.34 billion had been exported as at 11 November this year compared to the 238.18 million kilograms exported in 2024, reflecting a slight 2.7 percent decline.
Updating on grain stocks at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) as at last Thursday, Dr Muswere said the silos were stocked with 181 931 metric tonnes. The marketed grain at the GMB represents only 8.76 percent of the total marketed grain, following the structural market liberalisation introduced in 2022.
Meanwhile, Dr Muswere stated that the Cabinet considered and approved the National Cooperative Societies Development Policy, which reviews the 2005 Cooperative Policy and seeks to transform and rebrand Cooperative Societies by making them catalysts for innovation, industrialization, empowerment, and wealth creation.
He said the Policy further provides an enabling legal framework that entrenches good governance, financial inclusion, as well as transparency and accountability in the management of cooperative societies, unlike in the past.
It also aligns the Cooperative Societies Sector with the National Development Strategies, Financial Inclusion initiatives, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digitalisation, with over 10 800 registered cooperative societies set to benefit, covering an estimated membership of around 3 million.
“Government recognises the contribution of the cooperative sector as a key economic driver, contributing over 210 000 housing units since the year 2010, serving the unbanked communities through Savings and Credit Cooperative Schemes (SACCOS); and actively contributing over 80 percent to national kapenta production, among other economic benefits,” Muswere said.
New Ziana
