Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo says the country has sufficient stocks of maize to last a total of 8 months up to July 2020.
Hon Katambo said in other words, if the smuggling of maize and mealie meal remains under control, the maize available in the country of one million, thirty-seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven point seven metric tonnes is adequate to see the nation through to the next harvest, somewhere around June 2020.
He said this when he addressed journalists at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Center as he announced the results for the maize stocks assessment survey 2019 and the food security situation in Zambia.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, at this point, I will now highlight the results of the survey and explain the implications of the results on the national food security situation from now until the next harvest in 2020. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the survey results and the figures presented by the stocks monitoring committee indicate that the total quantity of maize available in the country stands at one million, thirty seven thousand seven hundred and seventy seven point seven metric tonnes,” said Hon Katambo.
“Let me now give you the breakdown of the total maize that we have in the country. The small and medium scale farmers in all provinces are estimated to be in possession of (394,991) metric tonnes of maize; whilst large-scale farmers in the country are estimated to have in reserve sixty three thousand eight hundred and sixty three metric tonnes of maize in stock. Further, the millers that are represented by the Millers Association of Zambia have reported to be in possession of one hundred and twelve thousand, three hundred and twenty nine metric tonnes of maize; and the grain traders that are represented by the Grain Traders Association of Zambia have one hundred and eighty thousand, three hundred and forty six point sixty one metric tonnes of maize in stock while stock feed manufacturers have sixty thousand metric tonnes.”
The Agriculture Minister said the Food Reserve Agency has a total of two hundred and twenty six thousand, two hundred and forty seven metric tonnes of maize as strategic food reserves.
He indicated that in terms of the distribution of maize in control of small and medium scale farmers in the country, the maize stocks assessment survey has established that the province with the most amount of maize is Eastern Province with 127,256 MT, followed by Central Province with 59,450 MT, which is then followed by Muchinga Province with 49,053 MT, then Northern Province with 43,306 MT and North Western Province with 35,271 MT.
“The province with the least amount of maize in the control of small and medium scale farmers is Western Province with 2,906 MT, followed by Lusaka Province with 4,752 MT, this is then followed by Southern Province with 10,183 mt, then by Luapula Province with 27,961 MT and finally by Copperbelt Province with 34,852 MT,” he disclosed.
He emphasized that the results highlighting the distribution of maize by province is evidence that there is maize being held by small and medium scale farmers in the country.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, now that the actual maize stock figures have been presented, let me update you on the food security situation in the country. You may wish to note that for planning purposes, my ministry uses an estimate of one hundred and twenty thousand metric tonnes to represent the country’s monthly consumption requirement. Therefore, going by the stock figures I have presented, you will note that the country has sufficient stocks of maize to last a total of 8 months up to July 2020,” assured Hon Katambo.
“In fact, we expect some maize to start coming on the market in April, 2020 because of the early maize project that government has facilitated in partnership with the Zambia National Farmers Union who are currently estimating the expected yield of early maize.”
These people will say these things all the time and the opposite happens, you can never have enough what happens if something unexpected occurs, what about the hunger situation. If we have more maize then why is prize of mealie meal so high
So if we have enough maize, why are people starving and depending on handouts of 12.5kg bags with the face of one corrupt individual, pretending he is making donations from his own pocket?
The only people smuggling maize are the usual suspects that smuggle mukula and our wildlife.
I am sure this surplus maize will be smuggled as well, by the usual suspects.
God bless Zambia!
What happened to rice donated by India, And signed by Inonge.
Is Maize the only food we Zambians eat?
We have heard these utterances before to the point when they allowed export of maize only to U-turn after 8 weeks. Trust useless chaps like Micheal Zondani Jay Katambo at your own peril incompetent as his boss in State House.
Harvesting starts in May, June, July but maize is only shelled in August/September.
So simply put if our stock is only enough to last us upto June/July then we will have a shortage towards that time
They have no idea what there saying…
This Agric minister should learn to shutup. Tondolo musuma. We are following closely….
You know what is funny: Most of these Ministers cannot qualify to work in the departments of the Ministries they oversee. That guy doesn’t even look like he can critically contribute to what he is reading. Awe kwena tukaciliko. Ndipo tizakaula abale!
It is really sad to learn from government that they have enough maize stocks last for the next right months yet the fra in maamba had told citizens that starting from tomorrow it will be allowing 20 people from each ward per day .why restricting to 20 people from more than 20villages
Minister! Minister! hold on just there. The point is there is extreme hunger in the country and you are trying to bury your head in the sand. If PF says something, just know the opposite is true. These people don’t care about anything but their own bellies. What a shame.
I stopped listening to these guys a long time ago. They are just full of deceit and trickery in whatever they do. Tangible policies zero. Koma kuba!
Disaster!!!
meaning fra can only supply 10000 broiler and pig farmers 12 bags each per day for 37 days. I know of farmers that use 15 bags per day. this does not include the nshima for any day for all. get this : 12×50 = 600kg. 600kg x 10000 = 6million kg. multiply that by 40 days and you get 240000 metric tonnes.
Then why for the love is maize is the bloody price above 100 kwacha Ba mudala naimwe!!??
Why are figures in words?
Even if they are telling the truth , which is rare , they are cutting it too close.
This is infact a gamble on all things being equal.
Kindly share the assessment report
UYU K@TAMB0 IS AS USELESS AS HIS THIEVING GUNDWANE’ BOSS, J0N4 MUKULA!!
J0na st0le from a widow, & that’s a fact.
J0na just put K@tamb0 a useless drinking buddy in charge of agriculture due to lack of vision.
Katamb0 is SO USELESS ku agriculture, & that’s a fact, that if you asked him to differentiate & pick out a tomato plant from a small cotton, tobacco or bean plant, this P.F Goon would be unable to do so, & if you asked K@tamb0 to get you a Cow to milk, K@tamb0 would bring forth “a Bull” & when asked why the choice, he would reply “coz this one is so big, we shall get more milk”
That is the calibre of officials the Drunken J0na surrounds himself with, praise singers who will not question, BUT support J0n@s plunder, whilst begging J0na for crumbs from his illicit deals…
cont:
whilst begging J0na for crumbs from his illicit deals.
GOVERNING IS NOT FOR CHANCERS SPECULATORS P!MPS & PIRATES BANE’!!
A lot of peasant farmers had a bad harvest last season due to poor rainfall and so had no crop sales and so have no money. Even if you have stocks at FRA, who is going to buy for the villagers? Perhaps mbanje will help.