Zimbabwe set to resume grain imports amid looming drought

The government expects cereal production to fall from 2.74 million tonnes in 2025/26 to 1.6 million tonnes in 2026/27 on the back of an anticipated El Niño-related drought.

To cover the shortfall, the government plans to allow increased imports by the private sector.

Cabinet said on Wednesday that “the private sector will be allowed to import to meet commercial needs for both food and feed”, while household import allowances for basic foodstuffs will also be reviewed upwards.

The move marks a shift from the import-substitution drive introduced in 2025. Under Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025, millers were required to source at least 40 per cent of their grain locally from April 2026, rising to 100 per cent from April 2028.

The 2025/26 season had delivered a stronger harvest on official figures. Zimbabwe cut maize imports by 34 per cent, with the second-round crop assessment putting maize production at 2.35 million tonnes, up 2 per cent from 2.29 million tonnes in 2024/25.

The improved harvest also reduced the import bill. In April 2026, maize imports fell to US$30.2 million from US$53.2 million in March, a 43 per cent month-on-month decline.

However, shortages have already exposed a gap between national production figures and grain availability for some millers and manufacturers.

In August, the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe’s southern region reported that local maize supplies had “significantly declined”, saying Blue Ribbon and 23 other millers in Bulawayo had stopped milling.

Government disputed the claim, saying Zimbabwe “has produced more maize and has grain”.

Delta, a major cereal consumer, reported that grain harvests last year were lower than official figures.