Projections of The Zimbabwean 2021 Agricultural Season

Broadcasting Minister Monica Mutsvangwa at a press briefing yesterday revealed Zimbabwe’s 2021 Second Round Crop and Livestock Assessment Report.

The following are the highlights of the 2021 Agricultural Season crop output projections

1. Maize production is estimated at 2 717 171 metric tonnes, which is 199% higher than the 907 628 metric tonnes produced in the 2019/2020 season.
2. Traditional grains production is projected at 347 968 metric tonnes, which is 128% more than the 152 515 metric tonne output of the previous season.
3. The total cereal production projection is 3 075 538 metric tonnes, against a national cereal requirement of 1 797 435 metric tonnes for human consumption and 450 000 metric tonnes for livestock.
4. Cotton production is estimated at 195 991 metric tonnes in the 2020/2021 season, which is a 94% increase from the 101 000 metric tonnes in the 2019/2020 season.
5. Tobacco production is estimated to increase by 8% to 200 245 metric tonnes from 184 042 metric tonnes in the 2019/2020 season.
6. Soya bean production is expected to increase by 51% to 71 290 metric tonnes from 47 088 metric tonnes last year.
7. Sweet potato production is estimated to increase by 269%
8. Sugar beans are projected to increase by 142%
9. Groundnuts are also expected to grow by 139%.

Livestock Updates

1. . The national beef cattle herd increased from 5 443 770 cattle in the previous season to 5 478 648 this season, and the average national cattle mortality rate decreased from 12% in 2019 to 4.2% in 2020
2. The 2020 Second Round Crop and Livestock Assessment Report says that total milk production increased by 6%, from 75 422 158 Litres in 2018 to 79 896 215 Litres in 2019. The dairy herd stood at 39 856 animals with 19 022 milking cows.
3. Egg production is increasing, reaching a new high of 59.3 million dozens in 2020, surpassing the 2019 production by 18% ( which was 50.4 million dozens) and 7% higher than the previous record of 55.3 million in 2016.
4. According to the 2020 statistics from the total of 74 million day-old broiler chicks were produced in 2019, a 19% decline compared to the 91 million chicks produced in 2018. The decrease was a result of high costs of production (mainly feed and day-old chicks) and the general reduction in consumption.
5. In 2019, a total of 3 985 sheep with an average carcass weight of 17 Kgs were slaughtered at abattoirs across the country.
6. Twelve thousand three hundred and eighty-one (12 381) goats, in 2019, with an average carcass weight of 11 Kgs were slaughtered at abattoirs according to the 2020 Second Round Crop and Livestock Assessment Report.
7. The national sow herd was estimated to be 60 351 in 2019, of which about 20 351 is in the commercial pig production sector.