Zim has enough maize: Govt

GOVERNMENT yesterday insisted that the country had enough grain stocks amid fears of looming shortages.

Government has also maintained that the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) remains the sole buyer and seller of the staple food.

The remarks were made by Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare.

“Coming to whether or not we have sufficient grains, yes we do. We have actually received a request from social welfare indicating that we require 35 000 tonnes monthly for (Department of) Social Welfare, and we are able to do that,” Masuka said.

“Certainly, we have more than that in the strategic grain reserves, that is the clarity we have. Our grain stocks are enough, let be more candid.”

Also addressing the post-Cabinet meeting, acting Information minister Jenfan Muswere said the country had recorded a decline in COVID-19 cases.

“The number of new COVID-19 cases decreased by 39% to 758 cases, from the 1 241 recorded the previous week. The resurgence analysis by province shows that Bulawayo Metropolitan province, which was the only province with a more than 10% increase in new cases last week, has now also recorded a less than 10% increase,” he said.

As at June 13, 2022, the country’s cumulative COVID-19 cases stood at
254 155, with 246 566 recoveries and 5 521 deaths.-newsday