Zimbabwe has faced a 60% reduction in maize production due to extreme drought: the country will need to import 1 million tons.

It is forecasted that domestic consumption will amount to 1.9 million tons. According to the USDA report, corn production in Zimbabwe during the 2024-25 marketing year will decrease by 60% due to extreme drought caused by the weather phenomenon of El Niño.

The significant reduction in production, leading President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa to declare a "state of disaster," is a result of the destruction of more than half of the cropland by the drought, as indicated in the USDA report. This year, production is expected to be at 635,000 tons compared to 1.5 million tons in the years 2023-2024.

It is anticipated that domestic consumption will amount to 1.9 million tons. Therefore, the USDA asserts that Zimbabwe will be forced to import over 1 million tons of corn to meet local demand.

"As other corn producers in the region, including South Africa, Zambia, and Malawi, have also been affected by the drought, Zimbabwe will be compelled to supply part of the corn to the global market," USDA reports.

The government of Zimbabwe plans to source corn from private mills in Brazil, Argentina, Russia, and the United States.

While the Grain Marketing Board of Zimbabwe is mandated to maintain a strategic grain reserve of 500,000 tons, mostly consisting of corn, the USDA forecasts reserves to decrease to 150,000 tons by 2024-25.

Corn is a staple food and the most important agricultural crop in Zimbabwe. Over 90% of the country's corn production comes from small-scale farmers who are heavily reliant on the amount of rainfall to nourish the crop.