Madame President, Mr Speaker Sir,
Acceleration of the implementation of policy reforms is supported by Government’s policy actions in revitalising agriculture, infrastructure development, unlocking the potential of small to medium enterprises (SMEs), encouraging private sector investments, fostering financial sector stability, and through the observance of zero tolerance to corruption. The reforms are meant to both rejuvenate the national economy and contribute to poverty reduction.
Madame President, Mr Speaker Sir,
My Government is importing grain in order to address the grain deficit caused by the devastating effects of the recent drought. To date, Government has imported over 300 000 metric tonnes of maize, whilst about 200 000 metric tonnes have been delivered to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots by our farmers. Meanwhile, the private sector has also supported Government by importing 25 000 metric tonnes. Add to this the amount of US$360 million for grain importation pledged by our Development Partners. I wish to appreciate and thank the private sector and Development Partners who have joined hands with Government to ensure that our people get sufficient food supplies.
Government has introduced the Command Agriculture Special Maize and Small Grains Production Programmes, targeting a minimum of two million tonnes of maize from both irrigable and dry land farms among A1, A2 and small-holder farmers. In addition, Government is also rolling out the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme to support 800 000 communal farmers. Our aim is to revitalise agricultural productivity, so as to assure ourselves of national food security.
Beyond tobacco production, which has immensely recovered in the last few years, Government will support the farming production of a number of other crops such as soya beans, wheat and cotton. Government is working on the resuscitation of cotton production in the forthcoming two seasons, by providing inputs to cotton farmers. It is also part of the cotton resuscitation programmes to restructure the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe.
In the Livestock sector, Zimbabwe’s dairy industry is poised for further growth, as Government together with several industry players, is implementing comprehensive inclusive national milk production programmes that are set to ensure self sufficiency by 2020. In 2015, milk production reached only 58 million litres against an estimated national demand of 120 million litres.
Madame President, Mr Speaker Sir,
It is pleasing to note that in 2016, mining generally performed positively, buoyed by favourable market prices, especially those of precious metals. Cumulative declared mineral export shipments to June 2016, totalled US$981.4 million, contributing 63.4 per cent of national export proceeds, and the major earners being gold, platinum, diamond, ferrochrome and nickel. Gold production by our artisanal miners has been steadily rising since the US$100 million support facility for the sector.
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