Farm acquisition continues

Though the government had said it had concluded its land acquisition programme and was now consolidating it, more farms continue to be listed for acquisition.

The government says it has resettled 210 000 peasant farmers and 14 880 commercial farmers on 11 million hectares of formerly white-owned land.

Prior to the resettlement exercise about 4 500 white farmers owned 70 percent of the most productive land. Reports say there are now fewer than 300 white farmers left.

Though some reports say the eviction of white farmers is responsible for the current food shortage in the country, peasant farmers have always produced more than 70 percent of the staple maize crop. They also produce 80 percent of the cotton crop.

Most white farmers had shifted to cash and export crops and dominated the production of tobacco and horticultural produce

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