President Edgar Lungu has today commissioned an ultra-modern National Milling Corporation plant in Lilayi that will mill about 600 metric tonnes of wheat per day.
The plant will commence by milling wheat only and after a period of twelve months, will start maize processing a move the President said should encourage farmers to start growing wheat.
President Lungu noted that wheat production increasing over the years, Zambia still has not reached comfortable levels to meet local demand thereby relying on imports.
The President however noted that wheat being an irrigated crop, farmers are faced with a number of challenges to grow this crop among them power deficit and load shedding which is affecting wheat yields and profitability.
He said this Scenario is inhibiting early maize production planted in October with irrigation, and is artificially dried in April and may for the market.
He said the wheat and maize industries contribute significantly to national food security hence his government takes these industries seriously.
The President has assured farmers that government will do everything possible to address the power challenges.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has implored national milling and other investors in the maize and wheat industry not to ignore cassava.
He said cassava is easy to grow and is Zambia’s second largest food crop.
The president said the crop is drought resistant, and has many industrial uses and is an important crop which can support government’s strategy to uplift the welfare of small-scale farmers.
He said government is now embarking on a programme to commercialize the cassava industry in Zambia.
“I am aware that Zambian Breweries PLC is one of the off takers for the cassava grown by smallholders in the country. Some millers also blend cassava with maize. This, i am informed is one way of making mealie meal affordable to ordinary consumers”, he said.
President has urged all millers to look into possibilities of blending maize and cassava as is the case in other countries adding that Democratic Republic of congo have already made a request for Zambia to export cassava meal to that country.
He said the DRC guarantees a huge ready market for this market and there is no doubt that Zambia has a yawning market locally and abroad.
Lungu always going to commission other people’s innovations and visions where are yours. You now been turned into a promotion guy with a lot of businesses abusing you for their own good. You feel guilty about your failures and now has to make fake promises to farmers. Why don’t you go to the drawing board brainstorm how you will take us out of this rut then hold a press conference to tell us the way forward than constantly running away from responsibilities by embarking on wasteful travels that bring no value to the country.
Let’s develop this thing! He is UNELECTABLE! Leader of a tribal Hagroupin’!
Where’s the mealie meal from solar milling plants that were commissioned wth great fan fare by the same man? We were told theur acquisition was intended to lower the cost of mealie meal. We hv no maize shortage and the sun has been shining.
@Sharon. Instead of asking yourself where the wheat will come from you are just cluelessly forcussed on HH, just like every unintelligent pinhead on this forum. Comment on the subject matter and ditch your kaponya attitude! It’s easy if you are smart. I hope Trump deports you so you can actually experience the dire straights the majority of Zambians are in.
I asked Pro. HANSONI he wrote me back on a University Letterhead and a copy to the UN that his clueless 6 times loser has concurred with him that the wheat will be coming from the University of Pretoria and it will be wrapped in the University letterhead papers.
Ati China man,don’t bring your ignorance here,the government is a facilitator,just know that if such are opening there is a trickle down effect to the ordinary citizens,yes you have your preferred man but let us appreciate the good coming to the citizens
“…..The President however noted that wheat being an irrigated crop, farmers are faced with a number of challenges to grow this crop among them power deficit and load shedding….”
Lungu , lungu…… did you know Zambia has almost year round solar power and has the most rivers in southern Africa ????
Ask your advisors if you don’t believe me……
HAZALUZA HAGAIN!
Sharon, Sharon….hanawina hagani….
Hehehehehe….
HAZALUZA WON KAOMA, ECL LOST HAGAIN. Lol
He won as a Sectional Leader! We know what his tribal Horganisation and Triabal NAMWALA people want! But he is UNELECTABLE. He is happy with a 1 ngwe change!
Just supposing.
Suppose we wake up tomorrow and find PF and UPND cadres have pangad each other to extinction. Oh what a trully peaceful country this will become.
Suppose Sata returned today and once again became the opposition leader, but this time against the PF govt. Would the govt live to see another day in power?
Suppose …
Keep on Hallucinating! It is normal to Hallucinate himself H-as a President too. I mean the inside trading money laundering privatisation thief.
This could have been commissioned by the Minister of Agriculture. ECL should have been at State House devising strategies that should rescue Zambia from load shedding, high maize & fuel prices, corruption, political violence, etc. Instead, as usual, he prefers being foot loose and fancy free appearing at every event in a misguided populist endeavour ‘to be seen to be working’.
Please hold a press conference and be ready for questions. We are tired of hollow statements made through the press officer and other hurried comments on airport tarmacs.
Sharon, l must believe that all tribes are Godly created and the same way all people are equal before the Almighty. Now, if your shallow analysis infers that UPND followers are trabalist, then those of PF followers like you what tribe are they? What’s your tribe too?
Remove the plank from your own eyes before removing a log from your freind’s eyes.
We should support the works of the government of the day and put it’s leadership under scrutiny to see if they still need our support. If it’s not this is why we ‘re a multi-part state which enables citizens choose leaders amongst the opposition to spearhead the nation to a desired sound economy. Don’t support or decampain on tribal preferences, it’s a very retrogressive mentality in this age.
Country men and women we are apealing to parents and relatives to all the youths in this country to be responsible enough by thinking outside the box, all these energies and anger for one another can be exhausted to developmental issues by way of creating their own wealthy.
Chinese, Rwandes, Burundes to mention but a few are doing very fine in this country and their focus is to work hard and make money while you are fighting. We need to sit down with our youths and counsel them and make them understanding the importance of life we live once, and what legacy are you going to leave? fighting? hatred? insults? God created as in His own image, the need to contribute to national development. We only have one ZAMBIA and we are ONE..
Let us preach peace in our bloggers, finger pointing is un Zambian culture, we are one this is just an organization called politics which should not make us differ. However as alangizi team we are here to preach peace in this country as Jesus left us with that peace, we thank and praise Him for that and Jesus is love we need to love one another at all cost. Put a smile on your friend or neighbour who is next to you,because he/she is not an enemy but your brother and your sister. We pray for this country Zambia to have good youths, who will always share developmental issues, who will be bread winners in there families , think tankers and creative.
Watch the way we tear each other while someone somewhere is gaining mileage. God have mercy on our nation.
Some people the way they write their comments . You can tell bawelewele mwe instead on commenting on the subject under discussion, they just write contrary things. Awe sure I wonder is that how education can do to so one? Or is it dullness at play.