The high demand for mealie meal and maize in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and other East African countries has resulted in temporal shortages in some parts of northern Zambia, according to Cornelius Mweetwa, the spokesperson for the United Party for National Development (UPND). Mweetwa reported that smuggling levels have worsened on the Copperbelt, where the high price of maize in DR Congo has led to an increase in smuggling activity.
Mweetwa noted that the northern hemisphere had more than 800,000 metric tons of white maize, which should have been sufficient. However, the huge demand from East Africa and South Sudan led to traders buying up the maize from farmers, leading to a shortage. The UPND spokesperson said that the buying up of the commodity in Muchinga, in particular, prompted the government to move stocks from other parts of the country to cover up for the shortages in the north and the Copperbelt.
Mweetwa also highlighted that the demand for Zambian white maize is high in East Africa and DR Congo because it is non-GMO. He stated that the country’s strategic maize reserves were still secured with 375 thousand metric tons of maize, which is enough for the country to last until the next harvest season. With the 2022 – 2023 farming season harvest underway, he expects the food situation in reserves to drastically improve.
The Zambian government has put measures in place, such as the temporal suspension on the issuance of export permits until the commodity is stabilized. However, Mweetwa warned that a permanent ban on exports would affect the long-term export trade.
The temporal shortages of white maize in northern Zambia are due to the high demand for the commodity in East Africa and DR Congo. The government is taking measures to stabilize the commodity, and with the ongoing harvest season, experts expect the food situation in reserves to improve significantly.
Are you serious? If you have messed up please just apologize to the people of the republic of Zambia.
God is dealing with this government. This government has no idea of how to government this country. Everyone in upnd is confused
Why is new doom talking about East African countries instead of focusing on the promises they made during the campaigns.
This is a failed government indeed.
Henry – According to Henry only PF knows how to run a country..we have not forgotten your posts of bootlicking during Lazy Lungu era
This government is just full of excuses. So now that there’s a Huge Demand for Electricity in South Africa we should expect loadshedding in Zambia? Yaba!
Iwe Tikki stop defending the indefensible just because you’re UPND doesnt mean every foollish stance they take you should defend. The point being made here is that by UPND’s logic of outside demand = shortages, should everything produced in Zambia be destined for shortage?
Load shedding is coming those with a brain will realise
rainfall was below average meaning Kariba will be on stand by
Zambians think of their pockets and booze before their stomachs so a maize shortage will occur in high risk areas
Stop defending the indefensible just because you’re UPND doesnt mean every foollish stance they take you should defend. The point being made here is that by UPND’s logic of outside demand = shortages, should everything produced in Zambia be destined for shortage?
Mweetwa said “white maize” is on highest demand.
How come you are thinking of buying YELLOW maize from RSA which they don’t need? If you bring them that GMO “krap”, are they going to like it.
Is DRC in East Africa?
The high demand for mealie meal and maize in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and other East African countries has resulted in temporal shortages …..
All are in the Great Lakes. Unless you want to look the other way, it’s your choice. It shouldn’t take a geography lesson for you to get my point. Why are you taking offence? I have a chill pill for you.
Who is taking offence? Who mentioned anything about the great lakes? I just querried the story’s insinuations. You UPND supporters are so much of scatterbrains
I’ve learned a new word “scatterbrains” , thanks Hyena.
So many blunders In the story. DRC has never been in East Africa even if it’s a huge country. What are “temporal” shortages? Unspiritual shortages?
Zambians what is wrong with us…we have a huge demand for a crop we have thousands upon thousands of undeveloped arable land yet we can not feed ourselves and export at the same time. If it was in other countries we would have new billionaire commerical farmers and millers by now.