Zambia maize output drops about 6 % – Agriculture minister
File: Peasant farmers wait for the Food Reserve Agency to buy their maize
Zambia’s maize output declined by about 6 percent to 2.8 million tonnes in the 2011/2012 season from 3 million tonnes last year, the agriculture minister said today.
Emmanuel Chenda also said at a media briefing that Zambia still had a huge maize surplus because of carry-over stocks from last year and is planning to export some of the excess.
“When the carry-over stocks of 770,931 tonnes from the last season are added to the current production, the country ends up with a maize surplus of 1,035,333,” Chenda said.
Zambia needs just over 2.5 million tonnes of maize for human consumption, strategic reserves, stock feed and brewing, he said.
Erratic rains delayed the planting of this year’s maize crop, the country’s staple, raising the possibility of a poor harvest.
[Reuters]
This is the kind of news that makes certain people have an erection. especially under 5 children.
And next year?
Hope this decline, as indicated in the statement above, is due to environmental forces other than mismanagement issues in the system. Of late there has been too many ‘declines’ for comfort. For example foreign reserves DECLINE, maize output DECLINE, metal and non traditional exports DECLINE, FDI DECLINE …, Too many ‘declines’ can eventually lead to ‘money in your pocket’ DECLINE :)
6% is not bad, and that is because MMD had already supplied the inputs. Wait for next year and witness a true decline……
Even peoples bellies will soon decline. We are on a precipice. Maybe that is too extreme. Okay we shall soften it and say we are pa matelo or a slight incline which is still a downward trend though. Catch the drift. Next year maybe the decline will become something like a snow landslide which we watch on TV in the Alps or some such mountains in Europe or America.
The decline is because commercial farmers are not planting maize any more. They have gone for cash crops that can give them more money
Within 2 x 90 days, the PFooters are beginning to deliver economic decline. Well done!!
Very dull. Amazing. Do you really have to be blinded by hatred? That’s why we can’t develop because people want to play the blame game even when it uncalled for.
Men’s erections are also declining! What a country.
That’s good news as we do not have the correct storage facilities. The amount that went to waste equates to this seasons shortfall.
A nation in decline in all fronts….. next year double decline
Obviously there are people that are starving and without mealie meal or maize in Zambia while we continue to have surplus and export to other countries. PF do something about it, feed your people.
If you think running Government thru the POST will bring any positive gains in areas such as Agriculture then you are cheating yourselves! This POST CONTROLLED GOVERNMENT will continue delivering declines and K14 billion increases in Mmembes pockets!