ZIMBABWE MAIZE OUTPUT TO FALL 65 PCT

  Maize deliveries to Zimbabwe's
  state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will fall by over 65
  pct this year, following a prolonged dry spell, agricultural
  industry sources said.
      They said 1987 maize deliveries are expected to decline to
  around 520,000 tonnes from 1.6 mln tonnes last year. About 60
  pct of the maize will be delivered by large-scale commercial
  farmers and the balance by small-scale peasant producers.
      Although this will be the lowest level of maize deliveries
  since 1980, the sources said there is no danger of a food
  shortage in Zimbabwe.
      While annual maize consumption is estimated at 750,000
  tonnes, the GMB stockpile is currently around 1.8 mln tonnes,
  which means that even with the sharply reduced production this
  year Zimbabwe has enough maize for the next three years.
      The sources said the lower maize crop would be offset by a
  25 pct increase in cotton production to 315,000 tonnes from
  248,000 tonnes last year, and by a rise of 20 pct in soybean
  deliveries to 100,000 tonnes from 84,000 tonnes in 1986.
  

