The Governor of the Katanga Region has requested for 15 000 metric tonnes of maize from Zambia to help people particularly in the Katanga region.
Haut Katanga Governor Jacques Kyabula Katwe made the request when he paid a courtesy call on Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo.
He said the Democratic Republic of Congo particularly the Katanga region is faced with food shortages hence his decision to approach Zambia for help.
The Governor acknowledged that Zambia in 2017 provided the DRC with 15, 000 metric tonnes of maize at the request of his government and expressed hope that their request will be attended to again.
He said Zambia remains the major exporter of food in the Katanga region accounting for about 80 percent of the food exported by neighbouring countries to the region.
Meanwhile Mr. Katwe says both the Zambia and DR Congo governments will need to respond to the needs of the mining sector which employ many people in the two countries.
He said the response to calls for investment in the agriculture sector has not been impressive.
Mr. Katwe said in as much as the two countries need to encourage investment in the agriculture sectors, the mining sector remains the backbone of their economies hence the need to respond to the needs of investors.
Earlier, Mr Lusambo invited Mr Katwe for the yet to be held Lusaka investment expo.He said the expo will attract investors and DR Congo can use the opportunity to attract investment in the Agriculture sector.
Just a second bwana. Do mean Maize for free or are you going to pay for the supply or has money already exchanged hands, so that you is the purchase who in turn will benefit from sale. In short someone in Zambia as a wholesaler and you as a retailer at the same rate as the smuggled maize is fetching
Bati uyu mungalato
Mundiya Sikatana and LPM paired up to grow winter maize.
That maize we can grow and sell.
Don’t sell our seasonal maize.
They want to buy naiwe. Its trade not charity
Such a request cannot not be made by a Katanga Governor but by the Government through the President of Zaire direct to the Zambian head of State mind you this a very sensitive issue as Zambia does not have enough Maize for its own people a fact supported by the prices of Maize Meal in Zambia. Zaire is so large with plenty of land why don’t you grow your own Maize
Why can’t your government see an opportunity in this and grow the Agriculture sector.?
mmmmm……. kyabula katwe or chabula umutwe
Mr Haut Governor of Katanga, are you serious or you can’t read our daily papers because they are written in English? For the Zambian press are awash with stories of maize scarcity for our own people. Or are you talking about future imports? But you are forgiven because our leaders themselves told neighbours that Zambia has surplus maize. But take it from me, they have now swallowed their own words.
Whaaaaaat! At such a crucial time when mealie meal is very costly? And if this deal goes through won’t the cost of mealie meal in Zambia double to K300? God forbid!
What??????
The Congolese should start agriculture and stop begging. The only things they know are civiicivil wars and trading in chitenge material
Maize is not good for human consumption. It’s good for animal feeds. It’s not even indigenous to Zambia.
They aren’t begging. They want to buy. You should be happy not whining
Let farmers who are currently holding the commodity provide this amount.
DO NOT EVEN TOLERATE THAT REQUEST BECAUSE PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN PROVINCES CAN NOT FIND MAIZE TO BUY. PLEASE SEND MAIZE TO THOSE REGIONS. FORGET ABOUT KATANGA. NEXT TIME FARMERS SHOULD SELL MAIZE TO KATANGA REGION DIRECTLY INSTEAD OF GOVERNMENT PAYING FARMERS PEANUTS AND MAKING PROFIT AT THE EXPENSE OF FARMERS. THAT NONSENSE MUST COME TO AN END.
I hope the government has politely denied their request citing shortages in our own country and maybe referred them to other commodity traders or countries where maybe there was an excess.
Do you realy think that will happen?? Somebody in Zambia is already hot for this money.