The strategic reserve, which should have at least 500,000 tonnes, was currently holding 270,000 and had to be topped up by imports because local supplies were inadequate to cope with normal National demand, Grain Marketing Board (GMB) chairman Kumbirai Katsande said in a statement. The country's crop forecasting unit estimates maize output from the 1997/98 (Nov-April) at 1.47 million tonnes, down from 1.8 million tonnes the previous season. Industry officials estimate the 1997/98 maize deficit at around 600,000 tonnes. Katsande said the GMB -- the country's sole importer and exporter of maize -- had contracted to buy 115,000 tonnes of maize from local farmers by the end of July, and was looking at importing over 200,000 tonnes this month.

He said the GMB had Z$600 million ($33.4 million) inits strategic grain reserve kitty and funds were being made available from that in tranches of Z$100 million to buy grain. "We would prefer that the imports be effected sooner rather than later," he said.