The Grain Traders Association of Zambia has written to the government to allow its members to start exporting maize grain.
Executive Director, Chabuleni Simwinga reiterated in an interview that the association has the capacity to export 68 thousand metric tonnes of maize.
Mr. Simwinga said the quantity that his association is asking the government to allow them to export has no bearing on the stocks that national food reserves have which he added are more than enough.
Mr. Simwinga said because of the low price for the commodity on the local market, most of the association members are still holding stocks in their houses.
He said he is concerned the maize may go bad and the general membership will end up making losses adding that some of them may even fail to participate in the forthcoming crop marketing season due to lack of income.
Mr. Simwinga said that the total stocking capacity between millers, traders, and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is over 2.1 million tonnes, which cannot accommodate what his members are holding in their homes.
He notes that the association has continued to ask the government to allow them to export their stock either in finished form as mealie meal or maize grains.
Meanwhile, Kabinda Chinyemba a farmer on Ndola Mufulira said farmers should be allowed to export their maize the price of the commodity on the local market is too low compared to production costs they incurred.
Mr. Chinyemba said the government should not always think that every farmer is a beneficiary of the Farmer Input Support Programme and set low floor prices but that many of them access inputs at higher prices.
Efforts to get both Minister of Agriculture, Michael Katambo and Permanent Secretary, Songowayo Zyambo failed as their mobile phones went unanswered by press time.
Exporting maize grain can even bring much needed foreign currency ?! cost of production in maize is too high,farmers need to recover costs
The moment maize export will be allowed the economy will boom .
The question is why have they not been allowed… The answer could be, maybe government is looking at the amount of maize in the reserve bank…it may not be enough to reach the country until the harvest time
True. But we can add value by exporting mmeal and create jobs to meallers
It’s a disjointed reactive PF policy ….
That will only happen if UPND president suggests so…..
The clueless UPND President! What constructive suggestion has be given to anyone, forget government. He only knows criticising others and nothing else.
In a properly run govt this would be welcome but under this reckless President and his thieves they will deplete all FRA reserve stockpiles and nothing will remain!!
The best would be for the association to engage government and discuss the best way this could work for the good of all stakeholders…
Sit and negotiate on the possible way to go about this
Looking at things it can work both ways
It would be a beneficial idea if well executed
not until a bag of m/meal drops to k50 per 25kg otherwise cant never
We all know the right thing to do unfortunately the politics around this commodity spoiled everything and most of the policies are designed to protect the poor. Its okay to protect the poor but this shouldn’t be done in a manner that disadvantages growth. The country needs to create jobs, generate Fx and boost agricultural productivity and all these things can’t be achieved if the borders are always closed.
How I wish one day someone will realize that maize is not food security and that our consumption patterns have changed (we don’t eat maize products that much), and that our country has the capacity to produce irrigated maize in case maize stock declines due to exports. I hope that someone will also realize that its not the entire ~18.4 million population which is vulnerable.
The problem is the milers, they want to buy cheap maize from the FRA at K2.5 to 3 per kg instead of buying from the farmers and yet they know very well that farmers suffer to grow that crop, the price of fertilizer is K650 to 700 per 50 kg how can you go and sell maize without factoring the rise in cost of inputs???Are the millers normal in thinking???
Govt should not sale any maize to millers and you will see how the price of maize will rise so that farmers can benefit. If there is need to export better then let govt export the maize themselves and never make a mistake to sale any maize to millers who cheated the govt last year that they would reduce the price of mealie meal but instead increased it.
The millers have colluded amongst themselves to reduce the current price of maize in…
thats the right plea .. lets export the maize.. we are afraid of shortages but this will make us produce more
This is great news. Our farmers can now earn foreign currency. The record break production this year will bring better days for farmers and everyone dependent on agriculture. We can turn around our economy with the growth of agriculture sector.
This means that the policies implemented by the government over last few years are bearing fruit now. The traders demanding permission to export maize is a landmark in agriculture sector of Zambia. And this is just a beginning. A lot more is going to happen in days to come.
This is unbelievable. Who could have even imagined that our farmers will grow such a huge quantity and 68,000 metric tonnes could actually be available for export. This is the indication that our economy is turning around.
Export of agriculture products should be the focus of not only traders but also farmers. They can be part of the national growth story. After all, prosperity of our country largely depends on the status of agriculture sector. Healthy agriculture will lead to healthy economy and prosperous Zambia.
Mr Simwinga and his associates should take up the matter with appropriate authorities. I am sure they will readily accept the proposal. At the end of the day, it is going to help the farmers of our country!
The government should accept the proposal and allow the export at once. Zambia needs such business opportunities.
This is the right time to enter trading in agriculture products. With the record production expected this year, the agriculture sector can provide employment and business to thousands of youths.
This is not just routine news. If you read it carefully, it is a gateway to the world and highway to prosperity of farmers, traders and Zambia. It is truly said, the way to economic stability and revival goes through maize and cashew and cassava fields!
Why are you so surprised? The export of agriculture products will earn the country foreign exchange. As far as the cost of production is concerned, that aspect will be taken care of while valuing the stock that is being exported.
Ctn…the millers have colluded amongst themselves to reduce their buying orice of maize in order to discourage the farmers from taking their last maize to them for selling amd the n creating a false picture in the ground that there is no maize so that FRA starts to release maize to them. Millers gave not teduced price of mealie meal and yet they want to reduce the price they are buying the raw material at. This is a criminal act of collusion and I strongly ask the powers that be such as Competition Commission, DEC and Consumer Protection Association to begin investigating and arrest any miller that have been colluding with other millers to set a false maize buying price not reflective of supply and demand.
Ctn…the millers have colluded amongst them selves to reduce the buying price of maize in Zambia and yet they have mitbrediced the price of mealie meal. Now is that fair? Can govt and relevant agenciea such as DEC, Competition Commission and even the Consumer Protection Association begin to investigate this criminal act of collussion by the millers.
Ba Lsk times why are you taking long to upload the comments on this topic?? Ive been trying to post the sexond part of my statement here and the comment never appears. What is wrong with you chaps these days, you are no longer serving the Zambian people as a medium of quality news and freedom of expression. Shame on you!