ZIMBABWE MAIZE OUTPUT TO FALL 65 PCT
Maize deliveries to Zimbabwe's
state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will fall by over 65
pct this year, following a prolonged dry spell, agricultural
industry sources said.
    They said 1987 maize deliveries are expected to decline to
around 520,000 tonnes from 1.6 mln tonnes last year. About 60
pct of the maize will be delivered by large-scale commercial
farmers and the balance by small-scale peasant producers.
    Although this will be the lowest level of maize deliveries
since 1980, the sources said there is no danger of a food
shortage in Zimbabwe.
    While annual maize consumption is estimated at 750,000
tonnes, the GMB stockpile is currently around 1.8 mln tonnes,
which means that even with the sharply reduced production this
year Zimbabwe has enough maize for the next three years.
    The sources said the lower maize crop would be offset by a
25 pct increase in cotton production to 315,000 tonnes from
248,000 tonnes last year, and by a rise of 20 pct in soybean
deliveries to 100,000 tonnes from 84,000 tonnes in 1986.
  REUTER
