Govt to import 650,000 metric tonnes of Maize after exporting 1.1 million tons
The move by government to start importing maize from neighbouring Country has been questioned after it has been established that the same government exported 1.1 tons of maize last year.
According to officcial statistics seen by the Zambian Business Times -ZBT, government exported about 1.1 million tons of maize in the marketing year 2022/23 and have now announced their intentions to start importing 650,000 metric tonnes of Maize from foreign Countries aimed at responding to the effects of the drought.
Recently, Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo revealed that Government by the end of this month (April) will start the importation of 650,000 metric tonnes of Maize from South Africa and other countries in East Africa to respond to the effects of the drought that has threatened the National food security after conducting massive exports that has left the Country in a food crisis amid the drought.
Meanwhile, according to a 2023 report by The United States Department of agriculture (USDA) dubbed “Zambia maintains it’s status as a net exporter,” seen by ZBT, Zambia had a record of 1.5 million metric tons of corn available at the start of the marketing year 2022/23.
However, in August 2022, the government announced an upsurge in the demand for Zambian corn in East Africa, especially from Kenya and Zambia’s regional neighbors in Malawi, Angola, Mozambique, and Namibia who also expressed interest in maize imports from Zambia to meet their consumption needs.
The report further revealed that as a result of the demand from the aforementioned countries, Zambia ended up exporting almost 1.1 million tons of… Follow the link to read the full article https://zambianbusinesstimes.com/govt-to-import-650000…
-Zambian Business Times
Very shameful indeed. .
Vote for Hakainde if you want to switch your staple to cassava.
Vote wisely in 2026.
Vote for Inspector Jacques Clouseau for more of the bumbling routines!!!
1.1 Million tonnes exported, and this was last year! And the following year you start importing.
You export Electricity and plunge the nation into darkness,and you again start importing the same electricity..
I wonder if this mismanagement and incompetence had been exhibited by ECL or any other leader..Hell could have broken loose in Zambia, all Sundry of NGOs could have been on various platforms condemning the visionless ECL.
But here we have a total failure… completely incompetent in all sectors, commissioning primitive toilets, Sub standard CDF projects, mismanagement and lies in the mining sector, Agriculture sector chaos, Energy in disarray, the Kwacha madness, People traveling long distances pursuing eagle Mealie Meal, Dictatorship in full display…talk about the nosense during bye – Elections, the behavior if the 3 arms of government, Institutions of government in paralysis… even registration of a political party has become a tall order, and the once noisy NGOs are quiet…
Are some guys so lucky?? Not in any way…it’s all about tribe. Praise Thugs and Tribal Zealots see no wrong if it’s committed by their own..And they will cheer all the way to dooms day.
It was an inevitable “foolish” decision!
The nation had no FOREX!
The Oil marketing companies were being owed over $500 million and were on the verge of failure to continue oil imports!
Government needed a quick fix.
At least Fuel shortages were averted and the Wheels of Commerce continued uninterrupted!
Remember that the Treasury was ransacked by those who realized they had to leave.
Remember the empty money trunks that were found where they were not supposed to be, at the former Secretary to the Treasury house?
That should tell you the difficult situation the current administration was faced with from inception.
It’s good government now has enough money to import grain. Nothing wrong with that!
This is what is called “Applied Economics!”
Those who will struggle with food are the lazy ones who ran away from farming to idle and hustle in towns!
Live with it!
If you don’t grow your own food, you will continue crying about food scarcity!
It’s time to live wisely!
Don’t be a burden on the government and society!
Be productive!
Every apologist has Guardian Angel!!!