The Zimbabwean Government has ruled out inviting white farmers to return to the land seized from them five years ago to boost the county's ailing economy.

In the state-run Sunday Mail newspaper, Land Reform and Resettlement Minister Didymus Mutasa says the country's land "is for the black people" and the Government is "not giving it back to anybody".

About 4,500 white farms have been seized in Zimbabwe since 2000 and have been blamed by many for a collapse in exports and economic activity.

In May, Zimbabwean Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono called for white farmers to be allowed to return to train black farmers and to avert economic collapse.

The Land Minister's statement comes ahead of a Farmers Union conference on Tuesday.