Government has with immediate effect restricted the movement of maize and maize meal to between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours.
Law enforcement agencies will confiscate any maize or maize meal transported beyond 18:00 hours.
The restriction on the movement of the products is one of the measures the Government has taken to ensure that the commodity remains available on the market to meet local demand and mitigate artificial shortages.
Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa announced this during a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, which was also attended by his Home Affairs counterpart Chileshe Mulenga and Lusaka Province’s Stardy Mwale.
Other measures are limiting maize exports for pre-existing contracts to 227,245 tonnes.
All such exports should be supported by valid export documents which should be availed to law enforcement officers on demand.
“Failure to avail law enforcement officers with appropriate valid export documentation will result in the confiscation of the maize and forfeiture of the trucks used.
“Any suspicious movements of maize and maize meal, as well as any bulk-buying and hoarding should be reported to the offices of the district commissioners or any public offices,” he said.
Mr Shawa said although Zambia was food-secure, it had been observed that food insecurity affecting some countries in the region was causing unnecessary anxiety locally.
He assured that Zambia remained food-secure even amidst the current regional food deficit as the country had adequate stocks.
“To date, 762,668 tonnes of maize have been allocated to the millers for the domestic market. A further 174,532 metric tonnes remain uncommitted and is available for the school-feeding programme, community sales and food relief under the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit,” Mr Shawa said.
He said the available food stocks were sufficient to take Zambia to the next harvest season and urged the citizenry to remain calm and desist from hoarding maize or maize meal.
Mr Shawa said the recently-impounded maize and maize meal, including that in pre-existing export contracts under the private sector, was currently being verified to check for valid export documentation and whether the exporters were on the list of those on pre-existing export contracts.
Do these guys really think through these measures? I guess it’s more money in the pocket of night duty enforcement officers.
Just 2 weeks ago the Minister of Agriculture together with ZNFU were on ZNBC telling the nation rather lying to the nation that we have a lot of maize in stock so we should even export some to neighboring countries. But in reality people are queuing for the commodity and exporting is banned. So I don’t get it now. These guys I know they will win because Zambians do not know what they deserve. This leadership in Zambia awe only God knows.
These PF idoits have really gone mad now. I think they are enjoying the critical shortages of mealimeal that has hit mostly the PF stronghold. How on earth can a sane person restrict movement of goods from areas of abundance to areas of shortage? Seriously I m beginning to doubt the calibre of the economic advisors PF has. How the hell will demand for mealimeal be satisfied if it can not be transported overnight from sources to where its urgently needed.
Suppose only Choma , Monze and Livingstone has mealimeal in abundance, how will the transporters get it to the copperbelt in the shortest possible time? These stupid PF measures means transportation of maize from far away places will take a week. Really?
Its shocking to know that the whole President Lungu has also accepted such…
Its shocking to know that the whole President Lungu has also accepted such stupid measures which will just make him more unpopular.
Its high time PF stopped thinking using their backside for sure.
My fear is , if this situation continues a coup might remove Lungu even before the elections.
2016 vote UPND and the HH team for they have a credible plan to stop these PF created food shortages.
Back to UNIP days of shortages! PF is a failed project. I REGRET voting for it in 2011. NEVER, NEVER,NEVER AGAIN!
That pronouncements of maize export does not include the subsidized maize which govt fra supplies to millers. Millers who buy the commodity direct from farmers can export provided they meet the export requirements. It is thievery to export a subsidized product meant to benefit local market.
…this is just like restricting your daughter from leaving home after 18:00hrs only to hear that she is pregnant….things nowadays happen during broad day light…as long as the authority either the army or police or immigration officers are on the poverty side of the equation, white collar crime or dubious deals shall still be the order of the day….
To see my country in such a mess over maize also called zea mays ( a member of the grass family) is really sad.
So we’ve shortage of a member of the grass family in Zambia? Kikikikikiki. Zea mays avail yourself.
This is the problem with this clueless P.F regime.
THIS IS LIKE SHUTTING THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE HAS BOLTED!
Surely P.F, should have ensured Farmers were paid on time, fertilizers & other farming inputs were available, before the farming season started. Coupled with the criminal export of our maize stocks to Uncle Bob Mugabe, meant these shortages were sure to follow.
Therefore the problem is due to Corrupt practices, & a Clueless leader & Government.
All this we ban mealie meal transportation @ night & rationing is a lot of bullcr@p, by chancers masquerading as a Government
#LunguAyende’
#ChagwaMustFall
I feel sorry for people living in Zambia at present especially those with no regular income. It’s clear Lungu’s brain isn’t equipped to cope with the multiplying problems. At the exponential rate the problems are being compounded Lungu’s brainworks is unlikely to function. The strategy being implemented here is what happens when the brain has refused to cooperate and you decide to rebel and do your own thing. This is a completely and utterly brainless plan by PF.
“Government has with immediate effect RESTRICTED the MOVEMENT of MAIZE and MAIZE MEAL to between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours”
Very very strange, laughing my lungs out.
Restricting the movement of food to day light only.
We told you to vote wisely, stubbornly you went ahead and voted “ba Kapala”
Restriction of movement of maize and maize meal to between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours is unnecessary and uncalled for. All exports to be supported by valid export documents which should be availed to law enforcement officers on demand, is a progressive move. This should extend to all local consignments and should be accompanied by Packing Lists, Consignment and Delivery Notes, I believe these are already in place. For exports, also Marine Insurance and EFT documents into Central fund should be produced to deter smugglers. Unfortunately, ZRA Customs and Security Officers are either corrupt or do not have knowledge of making use of these documents to make sound security judgements. No cash or cheques transactions for exports.