HARARE, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe is expecting maize output to reach 2.8 million metric tonnes this year, from last season's 907,628 metric tonnes following good rains received across the country.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing Tuesday, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe is set for a bumper harvest, following the above-normal rains received across the country during the 2020/2021 summer season.

She said production of traditional grains, such as sorghum and millet is projected at 347,968 metric tonnes, more than double the 152,515 metric tonnes produced last season.

"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," Mutsvangwa said.

Cotton production is expected to rise to 195,991 metric tonnes from 101,000 metric tonnes in the 2019/2020 season.

Tobacco, one of the country's major foreign currency earners, is projected to increase by 8 percent to 200,245 metric tonnes from 184,042 metric tonnes produced last year.

Soybean production is projected at 71,290 metric tonnes from 47,088 metric tonnes last year while sweet potato production is estimated to increase by 269 percent, sugar beans by 142 percent and groundnuts by 139 percent.

Although the country's livestock situation still requires attention, there had been a marked improvement in the state of affairs, with the national beef cattle herd increasing from 5,443,770 head in the previous season to 5,478,648 this season, Mutsvangwa said.

The average national cattle mortality rate decreased from 12 percent in 2019 to 4.2 percent in 2020 due to improved disease control efforts, she said.

Egg production is increasing, reaching a new high of 59.3 million dozens in 2020, surpassing the 2019 production by 18 percent.

"Cabinet takes this opportunity to reassure the nation that every effort is being made to ensure minimal post-harvest losses, with local preservation methods, harvesting support and markets being procured for the benefit of our farmers," the minister said. Enditem

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