HARARE - Zimbabwean farmers have delivered 35,000 metric tons of corn to the state grain agency since harvesting started in April, surprising the government which had not expected any deliveries after a devastating drought, the agriculture minister said on Wednesday.
An El Nino-induced drought has hit southern Africa and cut the output of the staple corn crop.
The government has not released this year's corn forecast but the U.N. World FoodProgramme says output would fall below 60 percent of the five-year average of between 700,000 and 1 million metric tons.
Joseph Made told parliament the government-run Grain Marketing Board, which in the past has struggled to pay for corn, was now paying farmers upon delivery.
"As we are talking, where we had not expected any grain at all due to the drought, farmers have already delivered close to 35,000 metric tons," Made said.
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WFP said on May 12 Zimbabwe imported 350,000 metric tons of corn between January and the end of April.
