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Zimbabwe maize production to drop 72% due to drought

The Zimbabwean government projections staple maize production will drop 72% in the 2023/24 season, aggravating the nation's food circumstance due to an El Nino caused drought, a crop assessment report showed on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe is among 3 southern African countries to state the damaging dry spell a nationwide disaster, after Zambia and Malawi made comparable pronouncements.

According to the federal government's crop evaluation report, approximated maize production is 634,699 metric tonnes (MT) for the season, representing a 72% decline from the previous season.

Zimbabweans consume 2 million MT of staple maize every year.

The region is reeling from its worst dry spell in 40 years, owing to a mix of the naturally happening El Nino and greater typical temperatures produced by greenhouse gas emissions.

El Nino is a weather phenomenon related to a. disruption of wind patterns, which means warmer ocean surface area. temperature levels in the main and eastern Pacific.

To cover the deficit, Zimbabwe's government prepares to import. grain, with its private millers seeking to source 1.4 million MT. of white and yellow maize in the next 2 months from Brazil,. Mexico, Russia, Argentina and America.

Zimbabwe has appealed for $2 billion from humanitarian. well-wishers and firms to feed millions.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has stated the government would. reallocate some budgeted funds from other portfolios to fund. grain importation.

The world saw record-breaking weather condition extremes in 2023. as environment modification magnified the effects of El Nino.

Environment change continues to hinder Zimbabwe's. farming prospects, the mainstay of its economy, the country. has actually stopped working to feed itself since 2000, when previous president. Robert Mugabe took white-owned farms, interfering with production. and resulting in sharp falls in output.

(source: Reuters)