Economic Review Of Crop Production In Zimbabwe:1890 - 1940

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the factors influencing agricultural crop production patterns. The material covered here concerns agriculture from the period of first European settlement in the late nineteenth century, until 1940. The period subsequent to 1940 will be investigated In future papers. Agriculture plays an important role in the Zimbabwean economy despite the country's relatively poor physical resources.The agricultural industries accounted for just under 14% of gross domestic product in 1978 (Reserve Bank, .p.70) and 45% of exports whilst imports of agricultural commodities accounted for only 2% of the import bill (C.S.O. Sept 1980).