Zim to import 250 000 tons of maize from Mexico

Harare - Drought-hit Zimbabwean will import more than 250 000 tons of maize from Mexico to fill the shortfall caused by the severe drought sweeping through the southern Africa, the agriculture minister said on Thursday.

Joseph Made said Zimbabwe would also import the staple crop from neighbours South Africa and Zambia, as well as from the Ukraine but did not give precise figures for these imports.

"We anticipate anything upwards of 250 000 tons will be coming from Mexico. The other maize will obviously be coming from Zambia as well some from South Africa and Ukraine," Made told reporters.

An El Nino-induced drought has hit southern Africa, slashing the output of the staple maize crop.

Zimbabwe's government previously said the drought had forced it to cut the 2015 growth forecast to 1.5% from 3.2%, with the 2016 output unlikely to be any better.

The UN World Food Programme said earlier in June that output in Zimbabwe would fall below 60% of the five-year average of between 700 000 and one-million tons.